Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) called for the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to testify before his Senate Homeland Security Committee over the operations in Minneapolis.
In letters to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Paul demanded that they appear at an opening hearing on February 12.
“As you know, the Department of Homeland Security has been provided an exceptional amount of funding to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws,” Paul wrote in the letters. “Congress has an obligation to conduct oversight of those tax dollars and ensure the funding is used to accomplish the mission, provide proper support for our law enforcement, and, most importantly, protect the American people.”
“I write to request your testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs at an open hearing by February 12, 2026,” he continued. “Please provide your availability to appear before the Committee by the close of business on January 28, 2026.”
Paul has kept a critical eye on congressional funding efforts.
“DHS funding should be viewed in the context of our current $2 trillion deficit. The 2026 spending bill gives DHS $92 billion for this year,” he wrote on X Tuesday morning after sending the letters. “Last year Congress gave DHS an additional $165 billion in advance funding. So even if DHS appropriations were eliminated this year, DHS would still be funded at roughly 180% of their regular level.”
Discussing ICE in particular, Paul wrote, “In 2025, ICE received $10 billion in appropriations. The 2026 bill holds ICE at $10 billion — but last year Congress gave them $75 billion in advance funding. So even if ICE appropriations were eliminated, ICE would still have a 750% increase over last year.”
