S.Hrg.119-314

1[Senate Hearing 119-314]2[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]34                                                        S. Hrg. 119-31456                   ICE UNDER FIRE: THE RADICAL LEFT'S7                CRUSADE AGAINST IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT89=======================================================================1011                                HEARING1213                               before the1415                    SUBCOMMITTEE ON BORDER SECURITY16                            AND IMMIGRATION1718                                 OF THE1920                       COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY21                          UNITED STATES SENATE2223                    ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS2425                             FIRST SESSION26                               __________2728                           NOVEMBER 19, 202529                               __________3031                          Serial No. J-119-513233                               __________3435         Printed for the use of the Committee on the Judiciary3637                [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]3839                        www.judiciary.senate.gov40                            www.govinfo.gov4142                               ______4344                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE454662-971                    WASHINGTON : 20264748                       COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY4950                  CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, Iowa, Chairman5152LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina    RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois,53JOHN CORNYN, Texas                       Ranking Member54MICHAEL S. LEE, Utah                 SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island55TED CRUZ, Texas                      AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota56JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri                CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware57THOM TILLIS, North Carolina          RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut58JOHN KENNEDY, Louisiana              MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii59MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee          CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey60ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri               ALEX PADILLA, California61KATIE BOYD BRITT, Alabama            PETER WELCH, Vermont62ASHLEY MOODY, Florida                ADAM B. SCHIFF, California6364             Kolan Davis, Chief Counsel and Staff Director65         Joe Zogby, Democratic Chief Counsel and Staff Director6667            Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration6869                       JOHN CORNYN, Texas, Chair7071LINDSEY O. GRAHAM, South Carolina    ALEX PADILLA, California,72TED CRUZ, Texas                          Ranking Member73THOM TILLIS, North Carolina          SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island74JOHN KENNEDY, Louisiana              AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota75KATIE BOYD BRITT, Alabama            CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware76ASHLEY MOODY, Florida                MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii77                                     CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey7879             Franci Rooney Becker, Republican Chief Counsel80                 Ursela Ojeda, Democratic Chief Counsel8182                            C O N T E N T S8384                              ----------8586                           OPENING STATEMENTS8788                                                                   Page8990Cornyn, Hon. John................................................     191Padilla, Hon. Alex...............................................     492Cruz, Hon. Ted...................................................    1893Moody, Hon. Ashley...............................................    159495                               WITNESSES9697Boyd, Roy........................................................     798    Prepared statement...........................................    2699Carter-Walters, Danielle.........................................     9100    Prepared statement...........................................    29101Cathell, Mia.....................................................    11102    Prepared statement...........................................    31103104                                APPENDIX105106Items submitted for the record...................................    33107108                   ICE UNDER FIRE: THE RADICAL LEFT'S109                CRUSADE AGAINST IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT110111                              ----------112113                      WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025114115                      United States Senate,116   Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration,117                                Committee on the Judiciary,118                                                    Washington, DC.119    The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:34 p.m., in120Room 226, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. John Cornyn,121Chair of the Subcommittee, presiding.122    Present: Senators Cornyn [presiding], Cruz, Moody, and123Padilla.124125            OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN CORNYN,126             A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS127128    Chair Cornyn. Good afternoon, everyone. I want to extend my129appreciation to Senator Grassley, Chairman of the full130Judiciary Committee, for letting us have this hearing.131    Today's discussion centers around how radical groups132continue to incite violent protests and impede the enforcement133of our immigration laws. We will examine how groups, primarily134on the left, and even elected officials at the Federal, State,135and local level continue to vilify immigration enforcement136officials who are simply carrying out their duties required137under the law. We'll discuss how the mainstream media gaslights138the public about the true scope of criminal alien activity in139the United States.140    But first, let me take a moment to remind everyone how we141got to this point. President Biden invited millions of unvetted142illegal aliens into the United States. These included hundreds143of thousands of criminal aliens, violent gang members, and even144individuals on the terror watchlist. And where did these aliens145go? They went to neighborhoods in major cities across the146United States. These criminal aliens took up residence in147States, counties, and cities that call themselves sanctuary148cities like Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago.149    Sadly, many of these communities have suffered for decades150under the weight of failed policing mandates. The influx of151millions of illegal aliens exacerbated the failure of these152policies, resulting in skyrocketing crime. Local residents have153begged their elected leaders to reverse course and to address154rising crime, but to no avail.155    To add insult to injury, imagine their surprise when they156learned that these Biden-era illegal aliens were prioritized157for all types of public services, including housing, schooling,158and medical care funded by their tax dollars. In some cities,159police departments were hamstrung by budget cuts in order to160prioritize spending on illegal immigrants. Thankfully,161President Trump has listened to these concerns and fulfilled162one of his most important campaign promises--to secure the163border and remove illegal aliens from the United States.164    Aggressive immigration enforcement is not unprecedented,165nor is it a particularly partisan issue. The reality is that166President Obama, who was once praised for unifying the country,167deported more than 2.5 million illegal aliens, earning him the168title the Deporter-in-Chief at some point. But ever since169President Trump was sworn into office and began prioritizing170immigration enforcement, assaults and attacks on immigration171agents and officers have skyrocketed.172    These immigration officers are law enforcement officers173that are doing what their country has asked them to do, which174is to enforce our laws, just like every other law enforcement175officer. They carry out their sworn duties to uphold the law176and arrest those who have violated our laws. And make no177mistake, we are talking about the arrests of criminal aliens178who have committed some of the most heinous crimes--murder,179rape, sexual abuse, and molestation of children, aggravated180robbery and assault, kidnapping, human smuggling, theft, and181even acts of terrorism.182    But you don't have to take my word for it. DHS has183published dozens of press releases highlighting the criminal184aliens whom ICE and CBP have apprehended. These criminal aliens185were hiding in the United States, some for years, and were186allowed to continue terrorizing American communities. DHS has187reported that currently, more than 415,000 illegal aliens in188the United States already have criminal convictions, 415,000.189Of that number, nearly 400,000 aren't even detained. They are190still out there somewhere, in our neighborhoods, wreaking191havoc.192    There is, unfortunately, a lot of misinformation spread193among the American public by the news media and the social194media, especially regarding the current laws that authorize our195immigration enforcement officers and what they are allowed to196do and what they are required to do, and why they have to go197into these communities to arrest illegal aliens, especially in198so-called sanctuary cities.199    Immigration enforcement officers are well trained and many200with years of experience. The only reason that ICE and CBP must201go out in our streets and seek out and arrest criminal aliens202is because sanctuary cities simply refuse to cooperate with law203enforcement and allow them to be transferred directly from jail204if detained.205    According to the Center for Immigration Studies, there are206currently 12 sanctuary States and more than 200 sanctuary207cities and counties across the United States. Many of them have208passed laws that prevent their police department from209cooperating with immigration enforcement or sharing information210about detained or incarcerated aliens or honoring DHS211detainers. Consequently, criminal aliens are often released212back into their communities, inevitably to reoffend, rather213than being detained before being placed into custody. This214practice not only defies common sense, but it makes the role of215immigration enforcement officers much more difficult and, in216the end, more painful for these communities.217    The mainstream media, unfortunately, has shown no218willingness to educate the public. Instead of reporting these219realities truthfully, mainstream media outlets like CNN, MSNBC,220and ABC have ignored the real harm that these criminal aliens221have caused in these communities and instead directed their ire222toward law enforcement.223    I want to be sure, however, to praise those reporters who224do their job honestly, who called out false statements when225they see them on social media or otherwise. That is also an226important function of the media, and it does not go unnoticed.227    [Poster is displayed.]228    Here is one example where Bill Melugin of Fox News points229out a social media post depicting an infant with handcuffs on230as false, which, of course, comes from TikTok. TikTok is owned231by the Chinese Government, in part, and operates under the232rules set by the Chinese Communist Party and is famous for233their propaganda and disinformation efforts. But here is an234example of how TikTok is sowing dissension among Americans by235suggesting, somehow, that U.S. law enforcement officials are236doing things like detaining an infant, and it looks like even237putting them in handcuffs, which is obviously a false238statement, false depiction.239    We also know that some of our Democratic colleagues have240used incendiary rhetoric to fan the flames of public protests241that are anything but ``mostly peaceful.'' The result has been242widespread assaults on our law enforcement officers. Protesters243and criminal aliens have physically attacked officers. Officers244have been pepper-sprayed, choked, punched, or even injured to245the point of hospitalization. Protesters have made violent246threats against ICE officers, comparing them to fascists and247Nazis, inciting more violence against immigration officers, who248are, again, simply doing the job that Congress has asked them249to do. They are enforcing Federal laws.250    They have rammed officers with vehicles, thrown teargas,251smoke grenades, rocks, bottles, and even punched and shot at252our ICE officers. Left-wing protesters have laid down in the253road, in an attempt to prevent vehicles belonging to law254enforcement from entering or leaving detention facilities, and255even slashed the tires on Government vehicle cars, all to256prevent ICE and CBP from doing their jobs.257    These groups have also interfered with the capture of258illegal aliens, including facilitating the escape of a259convicted child rapist and an alien convicted for narcotics and260weapons possession. Some of these protesters are outright261lunatics, and I don't use this word lightly. Anyone watching262the news has seen protesters from every corner of the radicals'263left base. We have seen everything from straight-up thugs264committing physical violence to activists dressed as dinosaurs265and rabbits, and in some costumes that I won't even hazard a266guess as to what they are trying to represent. We have even267seen some dancing grandmas trying to stop enforcement of our268immigration laws, one Jane Fonda dance move at a time.269    [Video is shown.]270    Chair Cornyn. Well, suffice it to say, some of these271activists have become so divorced from reality as to be272characterized accurately as unhinged. But when you give273protesters information about who is being targeted and why,274suddenly they see the wisdom of this action.275    [Video is shown.]276    Chair Cornyn. Many of us look to law enforcement officers277for protection in cases of robbery, burglary, or assault. Why278can't we extend the same level of respect to law enforcement279officers who carry out our other laws that Congress has passed,280like our immigration laws?281    The left sometimes calls themselves the party of the282people, but they don't seem to have much regard for their283fellow man and woman when they engage in tactics designed to284impede ICE and CBP from getting criminal aliens off our streets285and out of the United States. Why is the radical left so intent286on protecting illegal aliens over U.S. citizens who are287suffering the consequences of violent crime? To me, that is the288most important question that remains unanswered.289    I now recognize Senator Padilla, the Ranking Member.290291            OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ALEX PADILLA,292          A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA293294    Senator Padilla. Good afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.295    Let me first say that violence against law enforcement is296never okay. I speak for all my Democratic colleagues in the297Committee, and the Senate for that matter, in saying so.298Violence against law enforcement is never okay, and I will299continue to emphasize that as we have in the past. We will300today and in the future, if for no other reason because many of301our colleagues on the other side of the aisle suggest and302accuse Democrats of believing otherwise.303    But for today's hearing, let me begin with a very simple304question. Why are we here? Are we here truly to conduct305oversight and find ways to actually improve the situation and306public safety in our communities? Or are we simply here to307throw more fuel on the political fire?308    Today's hearing title tells us all we need to know. ``The309Radical Left's Crusade Against Immigration Enforcement.'' That310doesn't exactly set the stage for a productive, serious311conversation about how we both protect law enforcement312officials and improve public safety. It's the title of the next313exercise in Republican political theater. That is really what314is happening here. So let me once again say that violence315against law enforcement is never okay.316    But I refuse to sit back as this Committee attempts to use317or condone the use of law enforcement as a shield for abuses of318power by this administration. If today's hearing was indeed a319serious effort to protect our law enforcement, we would have320government witnesses testifying before us today and fielding321our questions as a Committee. But that is not the case. If322today's hearing was a serious effort, those government323witnesses would be providing facts and data behind the numbers324that the Department of Homeland Security so often cites to325claim an increase in assaults on its officers and agents. But326even after repeated requests, months and months of requests327from my office and from others to the Department of Homeland328Security to back up their claims of a, is it 500 percent, is it3291,000 percent? Now we are even hearing claims of up to 8,000330percent increase in assaults or death threats. They have331refused to provide them.332    Mr. Chairman, you are very well aware of this. You and I333discussed this last week. And as far as I can tell, they have334even refused your requests for data and statistics.335    Why am I insisting on this? Why am I making this point?336Because that data is critical. Not only would it allow us to337actually verify their claims, but that data would be critical338to informing our policy response.339    So no, today's hearing is not a serious attempt to protect340law enforcement. It is designed to fuel the propaganda machine341and encourage even more brutal immigration enforcement342operations. It's designed to cover up for the fact that after343President Trump pledged to go after the worst of the worst--344this we do know from DHS statistics--over 70 percent of those345currently detained in ICE custody have no criminal record. If346they were simply focused on those truly dangerous violent347criminals, there would be no objection. There would be no348debate. There would be no discussion. But the reality is far349from their claims. At the same time, what we are seeing every350day is new acts of brutality and misuse of force in communities351across the country.352    But my guess is that today you won't be hearing about the353Department of Homeland Security's violent takedowns of354peaceful, hardworking, long-term immigrants who don't have that355violent criminal record that the administration wants you to356believe. And I am not just making this up. There is case after357case, including a deaf DACA recipient who had his hands cuffed358and his phone taken away so he couldn't communicate as he was359shoved into the back of a car.360    You won't hear about the journalists who are threatened and361assaulted, one so severely in New York they had to be362hospitalized. You won't hear about the clergy being shot in the363head with a pepper ball or arrested for attempting to364administer the sacrament of communion to the faithful at a365detention facility. And you won't hear about the 170 American366citizens--there are probably more, but that is what has been367documented--caught up in these chaotic immigration raids,368American citizens caught up in these raids.369    Even as Secretary Noem lies and claims when she says that370no American citizens have been detained, every week we read new371reports about another American who has had their neck kneeled372on, their door blown off, or their windows smashed, and even a373pregnant woman in Florida, a United States citizen, who was374thrown to the ground during an arrest and who later miscarried.375This is happening every day across the country. Masked agents376have become so emboldened that even a Reagan-appointed Federal377judge recently wrote, ``In all our history, we have never378tolerated an armed, masked, secret police carrying on in this379fashion.''380    Now this administration ignores the fundamental rights to381due process every day as it carries out this authoritarian382enforcement agenda and instead has replaced it with the idea383that if you look or talk a certain way, that's enough for you384to be detained, or even deported, before you have a day in385court. That is not just morally wrong, it is an attack on our386fundamental liberties and the rule of law in the United States387of America.388    But again, Republicans don't want to discuss any of this.389Why? Out of fear of crossing the President and his outrage390machine? Americans have had enough. They are sick of masked391agents disrespecting daycares, schools, and churches,392disappearing loved ones, and intimidating our communities.393Americans are demanding that we do something.394    So, Mr. Chairman, it is clear to me that this hearing will395not be a serious or constructive conversation. And for that396reason, I refuse to give oxygen to the fire of disinformation397and propaganda that this hearing was set up to ignite, and I398refuse to be part of this charade.399    Chair Cornyn. Well, Senator Padilla, I think you say we are400not discussing a lot of those items, but I think you just401raised a lot of interesting questions that I would be happy to402discuss and ask questions of the witnesses and get their views.403This is not necessarily the only hearing we are going to be404having on this topic. And I think given the fact that there is405so much disinformation, it's important for us to get the facts406and not just rely on misinformation, which seems to be rampant.407    I will proceed to introduce the witnesses. The first is408Sheriff Roy Boyd of Goliad County, Texas. Everybody who knows a409little about Texas history knows the importance of Goliad and410the Texas Revolution. Goliad is in rural South Texas, with a411population of around 1,000, situated halfway between Houston412and Laredo along U.S. Highway 59. Sheriff Boyd has been a peace413officer for 31 years and retired from the Victoria Police414Department and Victoria Sheriff's Department before becoming415the Sheriff of Goliad County. Sheriff Boyd also worked as one416of the co-leaders on Texas' Operation Lone Star.417    Mia Cathell is an investigative journalist at the418Washington Examiner, tracking activist movements in the U.S.419and civil unrest across the country. She closely monitors420mobilization strategies, funding sources, and the ideologies421driving political violence. Her coverage on Antifa's operations422has caught the attention of the White House as the Trump423administration seeks to dismantle far-left domestic terrorism424networks.425    Danielle Carter-Walters is co-founder and vice president of426Chicago Flips Red and a dedicated political activist and427community advocate. Chicago Flips Red is a grassroots428initiative dedicated to transforming the political landscape by429prioritizing the needs of Chicago's communities and residents.430Ms. Carter-Walters has been a vocal critic of the city's431sanctuary policies and the misallocation of public resources432during the migrant crisis. In April 2025, Ms. Carter-Walters433testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on434Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement about435sanctuary cities, where she urged Federal and State leaders to436end sanctuary policies and prioritize the need of American437citizens.438    If you will all please rise, and I will administer the439oath. Raise your right hand.440    [Witnesses are sworn in.]441    Chair Cornyn. Thank you.442    Sheriff Boyd, why don't we start with you? And if you take443about 5 minutes or so to make an opening statement, and then I444am sure we will have some questions for you and the rest of the445witnesses.446447                STATEMENT OF ROY BOYD, SHERIFF,448           GOLIAD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, GOLIAD, TX449450    Sheriff Boyd. Thank you, Senator.451    To the Honorable Chair and Members of the Senate Committee452on the Judiciary, my name is Roy Boyd. I'm the Sheriff of453Goliad County, which is a rural South Texas county, about454halfway between Laredo and Houston, as the Senator said.455    I'm here to discuss the current situation with regards to456law enforcement and the enforcement of the laws, and more457specifically, the implementation of the 287(g) Task Force458Model, and the need to expand the program and change our model459of conducting law enforcement operations across the United460States of America.461    Here is why these efforts are important to the future of462our Nation and the safety of our citizens. While illegal463immigration has been a historical issue along the U.S.-Mexico464border, this changed more than a decade ago, when the cartels465seized control of the border regions of Mexico and changed466their business model to include smuggling of people. When this467happened, the cartels began controlling who came across the468border and began torturing and killing anyone who attempted to469violate their control by crossing into the U.S. without paying470the cartels.471    This control gave rise to a new way for the cartels to472conduct business throughout the United States and beyond. In473Mexico, the Federal Government leases territories to criminal474organizations in what they refer to as the plaza system. The475Mexican Government allows cartels to conduct limited smuggling476and trafficking activities in exchange for a monthly fee, with477any activity above and beyond requiring additional payments to478government officials as a tax on excess illicit commerce.479    The cartels have replicated this Mexican Government's480program in the--with geographic control throughout the United481States. I witnessed this firsthand when I was the chief deputy482for Victoria County Sheriff's Office, which is next door to483Goliad. The Gulf Cartel took control of the cocaine trade in484Victoria and surrounding counties. They then leased the sole485distribution rights for the dealing of pure cocaine to the486Houston chapter of the Mexican Mafia. The Gulf Cartel then sent487out people onto the streets to tell the other dealers that488unless they were authorized distributors of pure cocaine, they489would have to cut their product, by at least 50 percent, with490inert material.491    After operations were underway, the cartel sent people back492out on the streets to purchase cocaine from nonauthorized493distributors, for the purpose of testing the product for494purity. If the cocaine was without inert product, the dealer495was given a warning about violating the cartel's control of the496product within the plaza.497    During this time, we began to receive word from local498cocaine dealers that local cocaine dealers were disappearing.499Many families were not reporting their missing loved ones to500the authorities out of fear of retribution from the cartel and501the Mexican Mafia. In total, our contacts on the streets502advised that at least 10 drug dealers had refused to dilute503their product and had been disappeared, never to be seen again.504Only one family went public and sought justice for their son.505We never found him or discovered what became of him or his506remains.507    The other aspect of this new business model was that508cartels began using illegal aliens smuggled into the United509States as part of their logistic workforce. When people are510smuggled into the U.S., they must pay a fee to the cartels in511order to gain safe passage. In our area, most illegal aliens512are smuggled into Houston for transport across the eastern half513of the United States. Once in Houston, they are given the final514amount that they owe the cartels and their contractors for515being here. From there, the illegal aliens end up in various516forms of indentured servitude across our Nation. However, as517part of that obligation of the cartels, these people have to be518willing to provide labor and other services to pay off their519final debt.520    We have interviewed many illegal aliens who have been521smuggled into Texas during our investigations. What we found is522that some will pay off the debt with money over a period of 8523to 13 years. Some will pay off the debt by smuggling other524illegal aliens or drugs into the United States. Some will move525illegal aliens and drugs from one area of the interior to526another. Others will be placed into forced prostitution or will527be called upon to provide material support in the unloading or528moving of drugs in any areas in which they reside.529    If you think these indentured people can just decide not to530cooperate once they are here, that is not the case. The cartels531have a vast intelligence network and keep records of the people532they smuggle to include family member information. I've had533illegal aliens involved in criminal activity tell me that they534had no choice but to commit the criminal acts in order to535prevent their family members from being placed into bondage and536doing unspeakable acts in their home countries.537    What this means is that millions of illegal aliens now538residing in the United States are part of the logistical539support operations for illicit cartel activities throughout our540country. If our goal is to dismantle cartel operations in the541United States, we must never be able--we will never be able to542do so unless we deny them the logistical capacity to conduct543business in a manner that generates an acceptable stream of544revenue to be moved from the United States into their home545countries.546    In order to take the initiative in what can only be deemed547as asymmetrical warfare against the cartels and their business548partners, law enforcement must change their mindset and must549change their methodology. We must look at what we have been550doing in the past and ask if the billions of dollars we have551spent are accomplishing the primary goals of the missions of552the programs implemented. In most cases, I will speculate that553with an honest assessment, we will find that most of the554Federal dollars being pumped into law enforcement programs is555remaining in urban areas where expense versus return is not in556balance.557    According to ICE.gov, as of November 14, 2025, there were5581,167 local and State law enforcement agencies in, 40 States,559that had signed memorandums of agreement for at least one of560the 287(g) programs. Only 605 of those agreements are for the561participation in the Task Force Model, which is a model that562allows local and State law enforcement to conduct field563immigration enforcement under the supervision of ICE. With more564than 18,000 local law enforcement agencies in the U.S., 605565agencies assisting ICE in the field is insufficient to hinder566the profit margin of the cartels.567    If we are to succeed in this monumental task, this effort568of defeating the cartels, we must restructure our law569enforcement efforts. We must disregard those who stand in the570way of change, ignore the anti-American media outlets working571against the interests of Americans, and create a new chain of572command and organizational structure that allows for the573synergy throughout the full spectrum of law enforcement and574streamlines the functionality in a manner that demands results575and accountability while ensuring funds are being utilized in576accordance with their intended purpose. This purpose must be to577defund and prosecute organized criminal activity throughout578America, which will not happen if we fail to enforce our579immigration laws and deport those who have violated our580sovereignty and have placed themselves at the disposal of581organizations who victimize our citizens.582    The presence of Mexican cartels in the United States has583changed how domestic criminal organizations function. It has584created a negative impact that is becoming more pervasive day585by day. Street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and other domestic586criminal organizations have all been relegated to the status of587mere contractors and subcontractors for the cartels. As such,588they are beholden to act as they are commanded by their589masters. Furthermore, hostile foreign governments and590organizations have joined to work alongside cartels in an591effort to undermine the safety and security of the United592States from within.593    As a law enforcement professional who has witnessed the594evolution of the influence of foreign organized crime in the595United States, I fear that if we fail to act swiftly and with596purpose, we shall find ourselves on the path that mirrors the597never-ending violence and instability found in Mexico.598    In the words of Pyotr Wrangel, the general of the White599Russian Army in 1919, fighting the Bolsheviks, ``We must have600the courage to see things as they are, to look at the situation601squarely in the face and be ready for fresh ordeals.''602    Thank you for your time and your consideration.603    [The prepared statement of Sheriff Boyd appears as a604submission for the record.]605    Chair Cornyn. Ms. Carter-Walters, if you would proceed with606your opening statement, please.607608             STATEMENT OF DANIELLE CARTER-WALTERS,609         VICE PRESIDENT, CHICAGO FLIPS RED, CHICAGO, IL610611    Ms. Carter-Walters. Good afternoon, Chairman and Members of612the Subcommittee. My name is Danielle Carter-Walters, vice613president of Chicago Flips Red. Thank you to President Donald614J. Trump for giving regular citizens like me the courage to615speak up. And thank you to this Subcommittee for letting me616share what is really happening in our city.617    Chicago Flips Red support the work the President is doing,618and we fight for the people of Chicago every day. We have also619been targeted for doing what's right. Our founder, Zoe Leigh,620and our advisor, Jessica Jackson, were attacked after speaking621out about stolen property in poor neighborhoods. And I recently622faced pushback in Cook County Court for trying to protect my623community.624    Even with all of this, we stand with the men and women of625ICE, officers who risk their lives daily. These officers get no626help from Governor Pritzker or Mayor Brandon Johnson. ICE has627found dangerous criminals in Chicago, violent felons, child628traffickers, drug smugglers, and cartel members, all hiding629under sanctuary city protection. ICE has stopped fentanyl630shipments, broken up trafficking groups, and removed criminals631who were hurting our neighborhoods. This work is especially632needed in the Black communities that are still recovering from633the crack and the AIDS crisis of 1980s and from the damage634caused by the `94 crime bill orchestrated by ``Jim Crow Joe635Biden,'' and put into law by Bill Clinton.636    But instead of helping ICE, our State and city leaders637block them. They refuse to share information, ignore detainers,638and even threaten to arrest Federal officers for just doing639their jobs. Some judges have also joined in. They have made640unfair rulings meant to scare ICE agents. One of the worst641examples was when a judge ordered Agent Greg Bovino to report642to court every day, as if he were the criminal. That was not643justice. It was political games backed by the fake news media.644    While this is happening, Mayor Johnson, Governor Pritzker645are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on illegal aliens646while regular Chicagoans struggle. Schools are crowded, crime647keep rising, and families can't afford food or rent. Yet our648leaders still put illegal aliens first. Over 56,000 illegal649aliens are living in Chicago homes, while our veterans and650homeless sleep outside. Cartel gangs like MS-13, Tren de Aragua651now have presence in our city. Fentanyl, guns, and human652trafficking are flowing through neighborhoods that used to be653filled with working families. ICE tries to stop this, but the654judges, the Illinois attorney general, the Chicago Teachers655Union, certain clergy members, the Mayor, and the Governor656block them every step of the way. This is not compassion. This657is failure. This is a betrayal of the people they were elected658to protect.659    Chicago is broke. We are in a billion-dollar deficit,660overpriced contracts, and shrinking middle class. Mayor Johnson661blames the Government in Washington, but the truth is simple.662Sanctuary policies have brought chaos and corruption to our663city. So we--the people of Chicago, we demand this; a Federal664review of how Illinois blocks ICE from doing their job, a665criminal investigation into judges who target ICE officers666unfairly, a full check of all the money spent by State and the667city on migrant programs, police, Cook County, and Federal668agencies working together again with ICE, and an end to the669sanctuary city policies that put our safety at risk.670    Sanctuary should mean safety for Americans. In Chicago, it671now means giving up our rights and our security. To every672leader still defending these harmful policies, your time of673pretending to serve the people is over. We will speak up, we674will stand up, and we will not let corruption decide the future675of our city. We will take our city and State back because it's676for we, the people.677    Thank you.678    [The prepared statement of Ms. Carter-Walters appears as a679submission for the record.]680    Chair Cornyn. Thank you. Ms. Cathell.681682STATEMENT OF MIA CATHELL, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, WASHINGTON683                    EXAMINER, WASHINGTON, DC684685    Ms. Cathell. My name is Mia Cathell. I am an investigative686journalist at the Washington Examiner. I've been closely687covering civil unrest in the U.S. since the 2020 racial justice688riots. Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the689opportunity to be here, before you today, to testify about this690important issue.691    When the uprisings against ICE erupted on the West Coast in692June, we saw uniform signage, tactical gear, and boots-on-the-693ground activists deployed to Los Angeles, the epicenter of the694unrest, almost instantaneously. These certainly were not695spontaneous riots. They were well coordinated, and in fact,696well funded. What we uncovered was an orchestrated operation,697and those at the forefront of the anti-ICE resistance have698received ample funding.699    Chief among them is the Coalition for Humane Immigrant700Rights of Los Angeles, or CHIRLA for short. CHIRLA, a 501(c)(3)701nonprofit, is part of a sprawling anti-ICE activist network in702the Los Angeles area, serving as rapid response to deportation703sightings. CHIRLA instructs its followers, via Bluesky, to704report ICE encounters to the Los Angeles Rapid Response705Network, abbreviated LARRN. CHIRLA co-founded LARRN, in late706January, with the expressed intent to counter the incoming707Trump administration's immigration policies.708    Here's how it works. In response to reports of immigration709enforcement called in over its hotline, LARRN sends out cells,710comprised of immigration lawyers, legal observers, and activist711organizers in order to mobilize counter-efforts against ICE.712This rapid response model is replicated elsewhere across the713country, using crowdsourced surveillance software, some quite714sophisticated, or simply social media to track ICE activity in715the region and alert activists, as well as illegal immigrants,716to nearby ICE agents.717    CHIRLA has acquired its funding from Federal and State718sources. According to CHIRLA's tax filing from fiscal 2023, the719group reported receiving about $34 million in government720grants. In its capacity as a legal services provider, CHIRLA721helps illegal immigrants, including those convicted of crimes,722avoid deportation. Grant records show that Homeland Security,723the very Agency CHIRLA's protesting, has awarded the anti-724deportation group several six-figure grants since 2014, as part725of an immigration aid program that financially supports726organizations actively working to remove barriers to727naturalization.728    CHIRLA has also received generous taxpayer funding from the729State of California. In 2023, the State's Department of Social730Services awarded CHIRLA about $3 million for an initiative731providing free legal services to immigrants, such as732application assistance in cases seeking immigration remedies.733That is deportation relief.734    In 2022, CHIRLA received $1.37 million from California's735Social Services Department, specifically to provide pro bono736defense services in removal proceedings. CHIRLA's deportation737team, nicknamed Warriors for Justice, was bankrolled by the Los738Angeles Justice Fund, a public-private partnership between739liberal grantmaking foundations, the city of Los Angeles, and740Los Angeles County. These grantees formed a removal defense741pipeline in the county.742    Another far-left agitator group fomenting anti-ICE unrest743is the foreign-funded Party for Socialism and Liberation, whose744chapters mass-mobilize their forces in major U.S. cities, many745of them so-called sanctuaries or safe havens welcoming illegal746immigration. At the time of the Los Angeles riots, PSL747activated its followers, from all corners of the country, to748take to the streets, rise up in solidarity, stage parallel749protests, and force ICE out of LA, a rallying cry that has750since been repurposed for cities targeted by Federal751immigration authorities. PSL's San Antonio arm explained to752local press at the time that the more cities that oppose ICE753operations through these pressure campaigns, the more difficult754a Federal crackdown becomes.755    PSL chapters, such as the ones operating in Washington, DC,756and Milwaukee, continue to convene ICE OUT rallies to stop the757raids. Most recently, PSL led an emergency march in Charlotte,758where activists were seen waving Mexican flags, to drive out759Border Patrol and ``defeat the deportation machine.'' PSL760Charlotte began circulating call-to-action material days before761Border Patrol made landfall in North Carolina. A coalition of762local and national organizations sponsored the protests,763including 50501, one of the organizers behind the nationwide No764Kings movement. Left unchecked, these powerful actors work in765tandem to advance agendas harmful to the safety and security of766the Nation. Their shared objective is to obstruct the767enforcement of U.S. immigration law, legislation that Congress768enacted.769    Simply put, the men and women of ICE are law enforcement770officers tasked with carrying out their congressionally771mandated duties. They are under increasing threat of targeted772attacks and hostile demonstrations that often devolve into773violent clashes. At this rate, I fear more political violence774is to come unless Federal officers take further steps to775protect our Federal officers.776    Thank you.777    [The prepared statement of Ms. Cathell appears as a778submission for the record.]779    Chair Cornyn. Thank you very much.780    We will have a round of questions, and it looks like our781Democratic colleagues are boycotting the hearing, so Senator782Moody and I will have a chance to ask questions we would like,783and I think there is a lot to cover.784    First of all, Sheriff Boyd, I know you were very active as785a leader of Operation Lone Star in Texas. Would you describe786what that is?787    Sheriff Boyd. So in the State of Texas, you have Operation788Lone Star, which is a State-initiated program that helps to789focus State law enforcement to go out and to conduct anti-790smuggling operations and to help secure the border in Texas, to791provide assistance to our Border Patrol. And that's been going792on since about 2021.793    But then you have the Operation Lone Star giant, which is a794grant from the State of Texas that provides funding to local795agencies, such as ourselves, in order to pay for overtime and796equipment needed to go out and combat transnational criminal797activity across the State of Texas.798    And then what we have formed is the Operation Lone Star799Task Force, which is now at 61 agencies across the State of800Texas. And we come together and we work in unison with our801partners at ICE, Border Patrol, Homeland Security, Texas802Department of Public Safety, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, and,803of course, the Texas Department of Agriculture under804Commissioner Sid Miller. And we go out and we help conduct805enforcement operations to help secure Texas against the806criminal predations of foreign entities.807    Chair Cornyn. Well, Sheriff, can you explain for people who808are listening why, if these are Federal immigration laws that809are being violated by people illegally entering the country,810why is it necessary for local and State law enforcement to work811alongside of Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol,812and ICE to deal with this problem?813    Sheriff Boyd. Just to give you a little bit of perspective,814so during the first Trump administration, the Goliad County815Sheriff's Office, on average, arrested 77 people a year. In8162021, we arrested 252. We thought that was a phenomenal number.817    Chair Cornyn. How far are you from the border now?818    Sheriff Boyd. A hundred and eighty miles----819    Chair Cornyn. Okay.820    Sheriff Boyd [continuing]. Halfway between Laredo and821Houston.822    Chair Cornyn. Okay.823    Sheriff Boyd. So from there, by 2024, we arrested 502824people. It climbed every single year. It now is on the path825declining since the second Trump administration has come in.826But the problem is that we have allowed tens of millions of827people to come into this country illegally, and they are828beholden to the cartels, and they are moving around. And829there's no way for our Federal partners to be able to tackle830this monumental problem without the assistance of local and831State law enforcement. And as a law enforcement official, it is832my duty to stand up and make sure that the citizens of my833community, in my State, are safe, and as part of that, I am834there to help the Federal partners that we have to achieve the835goals given to them by the duly elected administration under836President Trump.837    Chair Cornyn. And of course, that job is even harder when838the Federal Government's policy is basically not to enforce839immigration laws, correct?840    Sheriff Boyd. That was exactly why we had the problem under841the Biden administration in the first place, because the laws842were not being enforced, and so we were being overrun by843transnational criminal activity being directed by the cartels.844    Chair Cornyn. I think some people who don't live in Texas845or don't understand the nature of the border thought that this846wave of folks from Mexico and Central America and around the847world would be welcomed with open arms by local border848communities, which are overwhelmingly Hispanic. Can you explain849what your experience has been?850    Sheriff Boyd. What the reality is, is those folks do not851come across and stay in those border communities. Yes, the852border communities were not happy with this massive surge of853criminality coming across the Rio Grande or across the border854in other areas, but what you'll find is those individuals were855being moved in by the cartels. They--when they got here, they856are not free to go. They are indentured servants. They go where857they've been assigned to go to. And those individuals would858come up and, in our area, go to Houston for distribution all859across the eastern half of the United States, same as the860cartel does with drugs, they did with people. And they moved861them all throughout the U.S.862    And so it wasn't a--it's not so much a border problem,863which is part of the problem we've had is describing it as a864border problem. The real problem is it's now a problem for the865entirety of the United States of America, thanks to the tens of866millions of people allowed to come across under the previous867administration.868    Chair Cornyn. So, is it fair to say this is a problem that869is not limited to the border but extends throughout the870country?871    Sheriff Boyd. This is a national security issue of the872highest level, sir, and it is coast to coast, border to border.873    Chair Cornyn. So, Ms. Carter-Walters, we are going to get874to her in a minute and Ms. Cathell because there are a lot of875questions I want to ask. I am sure Senator Moody does as well.876But one of the things you talked about, or that was mentioned,877is so-called sanctuary cities don't cooperate with Federal law878enforcement officials. And my understanding is the Department879of Homeland Security will issue a detainer on illegal aliens in880the Goliad County Jail or any other jail. And in those881jurisdictions where they do cooperate with Federal law882enforcement officials, the transfer of those individuals can883occur there in the jail, and ICE isn't relegated to raiding884populations in other places. It can happen on a much more885orderly way. But you mentioned the 287(g) agreement. Could you886describe that further?887    Sheriff Boyd. So under the 287(g) program, which provides888limited Federal authority to local law enforcement after we've889received our training on it, you have three different programs.890You have the jail enforcement model, which is that allows us--891if we arrest somebody on a State offense and they come into the892jail, that provides somebody who has been trained access to the893database in our jail to find out if that person who's already894in jail is in this country legally or illegally. And there's a895system we go through, and ICE verifies everything.896    The next program, which is what you were talking about, was897the Warrant Service model. It is the Warrant Service Officer898model, which may sound like you're going out and knocking on899doors, but that's not the case. What it does is it grants those900who are trained in the jail the authorization to transfer901somebody who's in jail on State custody from State to Federal902custody at the request of ICE. It also allows us to transport903them from a facility that is not a contract facility for904incarceration to another jurisdiction that is a contract905facility for incarceration for Federal crimes.906    The last program is the Task Force Model program. And what907that does is that allows us, my deputies in the field, myself908included, to go out and when we're conducting our business and909we come across somebody that we believe is in this country910without authorization, gives us the ability to contact ICE, to911go through a verification process. ICE then tells us, yes, you912are correct, that individual is in the country illegally, gives913us the authorization to detain them. We detain them, we take914them, and then we get them transported to a federally approved915contracted facility for them to be housed at before they move916on to where they're going to have their deportation hearing.917    Chair Cornyn. So in the absence of cooperation by the local918or State jurisdiction to transfer those prisoners from State or919local government custody to the Federal Government, are those920individuals simply just released into the community?921    Sheriff Boyd. You are absolutely correct, Senator. In those922jurisdictions, which we refer to as sanctuary jurisdictions,923those individuals then, once they make bond on their State924charge, they're going to be allowed to return back out onto the925streets within that community. If you're not part of the Task926Force Model, it may stop you for not having--you know, for927having a violation of traffic enforcement, and just because928you're in this country illegally, you'd still get released and929be driving around on the streets of America, even though you're930not supposed to be here.931    Chair Cornyn. Thank you. Senator Moody.932933            OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ASHLEY MOODY,934            A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA935936    Senator Moody. Thank you, Senator Cornyn, and thank you for937holding this hearing.938    [Poster is displayed.]939    I think one of the biggest mistakes we could make right940now, in the history of our country, is to not examine this941pattern of completely ignoring our laws under one942administration, and in fact, not only emboldening and943permitting, in fact, funding anarchist behavior under one944administration, and then when an administration comes in to try945to right the ship, restore the country, repair the damage, we946get behavior that is not only obstructionist, subversive, but947illegal, all in the name of what? For the life of me, if we948want to ensure the devolution of our free State, our free949Nation, a Nation under a rule of law, this is the quickest way950to do it.951    And shockingly, we have not only funded and permitted this952type of behavior, we now have lawmakers in Congress, Senators953complicit in this, advocating it. As of yesterday, they were954putting out a video encouraging Government officials to ignore955orders. Our enemies, our adversaries across this world are956laughing at what is happening right now. And not only have957they, are they doing this and encouraging the behavior, they958are obstructing us in trying to fix this every step of the way.959And it's not just happening in our cities. They just shut down960the Government for 43 days, shut it down.961    And at what point are Americans going to catch on and962understand that these are not lawmakers of yore? These are963people that are here that do not, in any way, shape, or form,964want our country to continue as the country it was founded to965be 250 years ago, a Nation under a rule of law made by the966people, the people's law. And every time they are ordering a967Government official to ignore it, ignore orders, they are968telling them, ignore those that were elected by the people,969ignore the law of the people. And so somebody in this place has970to call that out because that is the quickest way to lose this971Nation.972    And I want to say thank you for being here today and973testifying. We have a law enforcement officer that was on the974frontlines and saw--I was the attorney general of Florida, and975when the sheriffs came to me and said, the Biden administration976is telling us to release people here illegally that are in our977jails, they've committed crimes, and instead of taking them978from us, as they are required to do under the law, and979deporting them back to their home countries so that they can't980continue to victimize Americans, they are telling us to release981serious felony offenders back into the communities. And so they982had to, because Biden was not following the law. And that983happened time and time again, drug traffickers, burglars,984people--and did it shock the Nation when we kept seeing crimes985being committed? If they were paying attention, it shouldn't986have because the sheriffs and law enforcement officers around987this Nation were being told, by the Biden administration, to988push them back into our communities.989    Let me tell you another thing that I had to file suit on to990get information when we found out. Historically, when we picked991up people internationally that were trafficking drugs, killing992Americans, when they were brought to our country to be993prosecuted and put in prison for that, as soon as they served994that sentence, they were deported because they were picked up995in international places, because they were drug traffickers.996Who would have ever released them into our country when their997only skill is drug trafficking, in the middle of a drug crisis?998Oh no, the Biden administration did. They started taking999Federal prisoners in Federal prisons for drug trafficking here1000illegally, and instead of deporting them when their sentences1001were over, they released them back into your communities in1002America. And their only skill was pushing drugs into your1003communities. That's their skill.1004    So thank you for testifying as what was happening. Now, we1005have agents being directed, rightfully so, by this1006administration, to go into communities and arrest those people1007that are here illegally that have been committing crimes, many1008that were forced to be released by the Biden administration.1009And this is what we get. This is what we get, people1010threatening, harassing, victimizing law enforcement trying to1011go out and arrest those people that the Biden administration1012pushed into your communities.1013    And it wasn't just when they emptied the jails into your1014communities or they emptied the Federal prisons into your1015communities. They kept letting everyone just walk into our1016country, hundreds of thousands of people every month, and push1017them in mass quotas to release into our country. They called it1018their discretion to parole, no vetting done. They kept saying,1019there is nothing happening at the border. Our border is secure.1020They testified to Congress, under oath, that our border was1021secure, and then they blamed Congress that they couldn't do1022anything else.1023    How long did it take for President Trump to shut down the1024border? They have released zero in the last 6 months. Compare1025those same 6 months to the Biden administration, hundreds of1026thousands of people pushed into our country, barely vetted.1027This is what's happening when we are trying to make sure that1028our communities are safe.1029    That is why I am introducing an act called the HALO Act,1030which would give these men and women, who took an oath to1031protect our communities and put American safety ahead of their1032own, a buffer zone while they do their jobs. They should not1033have to tolerate this. If they tell someone to step away1034because they are trying to do their duties that we as the1035American people have asked them to do, that we as the American1036people have asked them to do and put their lives on the line to1037do, they shouldn't have to deal with this. And I hope every1038single one of my colleagues understands that without men and1039women that take that oath and serve on that very thin line, we1040don't have a country under a rule of law. We ask them to do1041incredibly dangerous jobs. We could give them the space to do1042it.1043    I also believe there is absolutely no way that these groups1044should be funded with American tax dollars. Talk about our1045adversaries laughing. That is like pouring acid on the fibers1046that bind us together as a Nation, that create that strength.1047We are now going to take tax dollars and weaken that, going1048against the men and women trying to ensure safety, funding the1049people that are threatening and harassing them?1050    Ms. Cathell, I thank you for your testimony. And what you1051have said today is that American tax dollars have gone to this1052subversive network. Is that correct?1053    Ms. Cathell. That's correct.1054    Senator Moody. And Ms. Carter-Walters, what you are saying1055today--and thank you so much for being here today. I have often1056said that the very people that the folks across the aisle1057profess to want to protect are the very ones they are hurting1058with their insane, undermining policies. And it is so1059refreshing to hear someone, a resident of a place where this is1060happening, speak out and say, if they were looking out for1061Americans, the country that they swore to come in and1062represent, the people, and not the criminals, this country1063would look very different. Thank you for your bravery and your1064courage to come here today. I don't know if that makes you any1065more popular in your community, but you are certainly1066representing what our Founders imagined for a Nation under a1067rule of law. And I am grateful to you.1068    Do you believe that Federal funding should go to States and1069cities that are sanctuary cities, that refuse to enforce the1070law and refuse to work with Federal law enforcement?1071    Ms. Carter-Walters. No, I don't believe that. And I just1072want to say, it's not surprising that we don't see no Democrats1073here because that's what's happening in Chicago. They don't1074care about the American citizens or want to hear what we have1075to say, so thank you for giving us a voice. This right here,1076what you see is typical. This is what we deal with in Chicago,1077every day, with the Democratic Party.1078    Senator Moody. Well, you know, I think when we watched,1079under President Biden, the man-made disaster, the man-made1080emergency that was President Biden and his administration,1081there was such damage, such recklessness, such incredible1082policies that were forced upon the American people that they1083didn't want and they didn't want in their communities. You had1084States declaring emergencies. And what did that do when the1085sanctuary States declared emergencies because of what Biden1086did? They got more Federal funding.1087    So you have my commitment. I am going to work on1088legislation that would restrict and eliminate Federal funding1089going to sanctuary cities and sanctuary States that will not1090work with Federal men and women of law enforcement, these1091States that almost invite a criminal organization to base1092itself and take over cities and States, like you are1093experiencing right now. You have my commitment. I am going to1094file legislation to make sure we put an end to that.1095    And let me just end--and I know, Chairman, I have gone way1096over my time, but let me just end by thanking you, Sheriff, for1097your service. My husband is a career law enforcement officer.1098What they have had to endure over the last 4 years is1099unconscionable. It is unconscionable that any person in1100Congress would allow that to happen. I apologize to you. I1101thank you for your service, and may your commitment to the rule1102of law, and what you expect of this great Nation from its1103leadership, and what you expect in terms of its continued1104strength in the future for the next 250 years, may your service1105continue to inspire other men and women to follow in your1106footsteps. Thank you so much.1107    Sheriff Boyd. Thank you, Senator.1108    Chair Cornyn. Senator Cruz.11091110              OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. TED CRUZ,1111             A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS11121113    Senator Cruz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1114    I thank Senator Moody for her impassioned remarks, with1115which I fully associate myself.1116    One year ago this month, the American people delivered a1117political earthquake, casting off the disaster of the Biden-1118Harris Democrat administration. There were many aspects in1119which their policies were harmful, but none more so than 41120years of open borders, more than 12 million people coming1121illegally into this country, 3 million got-aways. Got-aways, we1122know, are statistically much more likely to be criminals, to be1123murderers, to be rapists, to be child molesters, to be gang1124members, to be terrorists.1125    [Posters are displayed.]1126    It was not accidental. It was deliberate. And every single1127day of the Biden Presidency, Americans were victimized,1128Americans were murdered, women were raped, children were1129brutalized by violent, criminal, illegal aliens that our1130Federal Government deliberately released into our communities.1131    Ms. Carter-Walters, you pointed out the city of Chicago has1132been savaged by these policies. And I have to say, this hearing1133is a powerful illustration of the Democrats. They are AWOL.1134Every single chair on the Democrat side of the aisle is vacant,1135and they are representing beautifully what Democrat policy was1136for 4 years protecting our communities. My home State of Texas1137saw a greater invasion than any State in the country.1138    Now, a year ago in January, President Trump came into1139office, and the result was stunning. This invasion ended not in1140a year, not in 6 months, but overnight. Illegal border1141crossings dropped more than 99 percent, instantaneously. All1142three of us were at the State of the Union address where1143President Trump pointed out, he said a year ago, Joe Biden said1144he could not secure the border without new legislation from1145Congress. Now, we have seen illegal border crossings drop 991146percent. As Trump said, it turns out we didn't need new1147legislation, we just needed a new President. We needed a1148President who would follow the damn law and not release violent1149criminals into our communities.1150    Sheriff Boyd, it is good to see you. You are the Sheriff of1151Goliad County in South Texas. You lead Operation Lone Star.1152Tell us the difference between right now with an administration1153that follows the law and the preceding 4 years with an1154administration that released violent criminals in your county1155and every community across the country.1156    Sheriff Boyd. It's night and day, Senator. The quality of1157life for the people of South Texas has drastically improved.1158And you're absolutely right, the numbers show it. Turns out you1159didn't need new laws, all you needed to do was have the right1160people in charge and free up Border Patrol to do what it is1161that they love to do, and that is protect America.1162    And under the leadership of Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks,1163they have gone out and done exactly that, and it has made a1164world of difference in our lives. We went from arresting1165smugglers on a regular basis--in my small rural county, we1166arrested--from 2021 to 2024, we arrested 98 people for1167smuggling and over 120 people for engaging in organized1168criminal activity directly tied to the Mexican cartels. We're1169no longer catching people for smuggling because it's hard to1170smuggle what Border Patrol won't let across the river.1171    Senator Cruz. For the first time in modern history, for the1172past 6 months, not a single alien apprehended at the border has1173been released into the interior. Sheriff, has the zero-release1174policy dramatically reduced the burden on your deputies and on1175your county?1176    Sheriff Boyd. Yes, sir, it has.1177    Senator Cruz. ICE conducted over 100,000 arrests, arrests1178of murderers, of rapists, of child predators, of gang members,1179and beyond them, the gang captains and cartel operatives who1180spread violence in our communities like a plague. We are1181systematically apprehending the predators who roamed free,1182deliberately, under the Democrats' policy.1183    Sheriff Boyd, in Goliad County, is your county and is South1184Texas safer with these arrests and these violent criminals1185being deported?1186    Sheriff Boyd. It is. In the last 3 weeks alone, we've been1187working a joint operation with ICE and Border Patrol, and we've1188picked up 54 people detained for ICE that were in this country1189illegally. Eleven of those had a criminal history here in the1190United States of America. Nine of those had been previously1191deported. And so it has made a world of difference. We have1192focused from what's coming in to getting what's already here1193and getting it out.1194    Senator Cruz. You know, and I got to say what is amazing. A1195year into it, the Democrats could have come together and said,1196you know what? We heard the American people at the ballot box a1197year ago. We heard that they didn't like violent criminals1198being released in our communities. They could have showed up at1199this hearing and said, okay, it was a mistake to ignore Federal1200immigration law and release criminals. You know what they did1201instead? Instead, the Democrat base is protesting right now for1202open borders. It is saying, `we want to go back to open1203borders. We want the invasion'.1204    Put the next poster up.1205    [Poster is displayed.]1206    `We want the invasion to come back'. It is difficult to1207think of a policy that is more harmful to our communities than1208releasing violent criminals into our communities. And I, for1209one, am glad we have an administration that will now enforce1210the law and keep our communities safe.1211    Thank you to each of the witnesses. Thank you for the work1212you are doing. I hope and pray we will never go back to another1213administration that for partisan political purposes says, `we1214are going to release gang members and murderers and rapists1215into your community, and we are going to look the other way as1216Americans are murdered and sexually assaulted.' I hope never1217again that happens. Thank you.1218    Chair Cornyn. Thank you.1219    I want to explore a little bit more, Ms. Carter-Walters,1220not only what is happening in Chicago but what is happening in1221the sanctuary jurisdictions around the country. And I agree1222with my colleagues. The fact that our Democratic colleagues1223aren't here, they don't care enough to actually engage but want1224to just rely on talking points and misinformation about what is1225going on in your community and other sanctuary communities,1226that's a telling development here today, but it is consistent1227in my experience with their attitude about the violence, the1228crime, the drugs that occurred in communities all across our1229country but particularly in sanctuary communities.1230    So in your experience, does the activities of illegal1231immigrants in sanctuary cities, does it focus on the gated1232communities, the areas of the affluent and the well-heeled, or1233rather, does it focus on vulnerable minority communities, for1234example?1235    Ms. Carter-Walters. Yes, it's focused on the Black1236communities, the vulnerable communities, exactly my community,1237and just--and they were placed all in our buildings. So the1238place that was on--that happened with the raid--ICE raid1239happened on 75th and South Shore Drive, Tren de Aragua had1240taken over that building. And the fake news failed to mention1241that, prior to that, a couple of months earlier, that one of1242those Tren de Aragua gang members had shot--executed another1243illegal alien, shot him in the head and buried his body in1244concrete in one of those apartment buildings on 75th and South1245Shore Drive.1246    But they didn't show that. All the fake news showed was ICE1247officers coming into the building and saying and lying, saying1248that they are arresting American citizens. Well, when you1249saturate our communities, American citizens' communities with1250Tren de Aragua and illegal alien gang members, then what do you1251think that's going to happen? Then when ICE come in and have to1252do the raid to get them out of our communities because that's1253what we wanted and that's what we voted for, then you're going1254to have American citizens that's going to have to be detained1255for a minute so they can separate us and make sure we are safe.1256    And I just want to commend the officers because they did a1257phenomenal job. They made sure that no one was hurt, no1258American was killed, or they didn't put our lives in danger.1259They actually helped us. And what the Democratic Party did,1260Mayor Brandon Johnson did, was put our life in danger when he1261saturated our community and apartment buildings with illegal1262alien gang criminals.1263    Chair Cornyn. Now, Tren de Aragua is a violent Venezuelan1264gang, correct?1265    Ms. Carter-Walters. Yes.1266    Chair Cornyn. And you are saying in the absence of law1267enforcement by local and State officials in places like1268Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, that they pretty much rule the1269roost in those communities. They can do basically whatever they1270want to do with impunity.1271    Ms. Carter-Walters. Yes, because the police officers are1272told to stand down, just like you saw when they were blocking1273ICE officers in, and the police chief told them to stand down.1274They wouldn't even allow officers to help Federal officers, ICE1275officers. They wouldn't even help them. So you can imagine what1276it's like for just American citizens, regular citizens, what we1277have to deal with when we call the police and complain about1278what's happening in our communities with illegal aliens. We1279don't get no help. The police come, and they say it's nothing1280they can do about it because they have standdown orders.1281    Chair Cornyn. So not only are the immigration laws not1282being enforced, it is actually worse than that. Local law1283enforcement in these sanctuary jurisdictions are told don't1284cooperate, even when the life and property and of American1285citizens is being jeopardized by those illegal immigrants who1286are not being detained and not being deported. Is that right?1287    Ms. Carter-Walters. Yes.1288    Chair Cornyn. And Ms. Cathell, thank you to the Washington1289Examiner for allowing you to come testify today. And I know you1290are an investigative reporter, not a political advocate, so but1291we need accurate information so Congress can decide what the1292proper policies may be. And I agree with Senator Moody, we need1293to do even more to make sure that the Federal taxpayer, or the1294State taxpayer, is not funding organizations which encourage or1295facilitate attacks on law enforcement, including ICE and CBP1296officers.1297    But you mentioned in your remarks the Coalition for Humane1298Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. And what is the acronym for1299that?1300    Ms. Cathell. CHIRLA.1301    Chair Cornyn. Okay. And it sounds like a pretty benign1302organization, but how are they funded again? Is this a1303combination of sources, both tax dollars to these so-called1304NGO's, non-government organizations that are providing services1305to people who are in the country illegally, or is it more than1306that?1307    Ms. Cathell. In addition to tax dollars, CHIRLA also1308receives funding through ActBlue as a standing campaign on1309ActBlue, which is the Democratic Party's primary fundraising1310platform.1311    Chair Cornyn. Now, that is news to me. ActBlue is an1312internet-based fundraising program which allows individuals to1313contribute money to Democratic candidates for office. But are1314you saying that the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of1315Los Angeles also raises money on this political fundraising1316website?1317    Ms. Cathell. Yes, many NGO's have active campaigns on1318ActBlue.1319    Chair Cornyn. Well, that's news to me, but we will1320certainly look into it.1321    I think, Sheriff Boyd, let me go back. You know, even1322though, as Senator Cruz pointed out, the border is far more1323secure than it has been in years, there is still a lot of1324people in the country that don't belong here because they have1325simply thumbed their nose at our laws and committed various1326offenses against American citizens and even other illegal1327immigrants who have been in the country. But I know that on1328October the 1st, your office and the Splendora Police1329Department helped ICE locate and arrest an illegal alien female1330from Mexico who was wanted for intentional homicide in her home1331country. Could you talk a little bit about that particular1332case? I think it is a public matter of public record, so maybe1333you can just fill in some of the details.1334    Sheriff Boyd. Yes, sir. We sent some of our folks up to1335assist ICE in the Houston office, to go out into the field and1336help them out with conducting investigations and identifying1337and tracking down people that are in the country illegally. One1338of the individuals that they wanted to track down was a female1339from Mexico who was wanted for homicide. If I'm not mistaken,1340she murdered her boyfriend in the front yard of their house.1341And she had escaped to the United States of America to avoid1342prosecution. She was here for some time, and in 2024, she was1343actually apprehended, but the Biden administration ordered her1344to be released back into the United States instead of deporting1345her for the Interpol warrant that existed for her murder.1346    Chair Cornyn. Now, why would they do that?1347    Sheriff Boyd. Your guess is as good as mine, but I assume1348cause those were the people they really wanted to, you know,1349bring into this country. So chaos brings opportunity for more1350control, so why not have people here that cause chaos? But we1351were able to locate her and get her identified at a house in1352the Colony Ridge area, which, of course, Colony Ridge is a1353community in Texas that is known for a high concentration of1354people who are gathered here illegally in the country. We were1355able to get her and take her into custody and so turned her1356over to the Federal agencies. So under this administration, she1357will no longer be roaming the streets of Texas as a wanted1358murderer.1359    Chair Cornyn. I would like for you to expand a little bit1360on some of your earlier testimony about the connection between1361the cartels, which are the criminal organizations that operate,1362in this case, in Mexico, some of them in Central and South1363America as well. I once heard somebody explain what their1364business model is, and they were called commodity agnostic.1365Could you explain what that means to you?1366    Sheriff Boyd. Yes, sir. Basically, if it will make them1367money, they are willing to do it. They really don't care. They1368have no conscience. There is no right or wrong in the cartels'1369world. There is only making money and having power within1370Mexico, and so that is what they are after. It doesn't matter1371if it is illicit tobacco products, which is a big deal for the1372cartels, not only in the United States but in Canada, but if1373it's stolen vehicles, which in the State of Texas under the1374Biden administration, we went from about 60,000 stolen vehicles1375a year to over 100,000 vehicles stolen a year, in an effort to1376support the smuggling operations of the cartels. It doesn't1377matter if it's drugs, if it's people, whatever is going to make1378them money is what they are going to do.1379    Illegal gambling, many of the eight-liners that we have,1380they--the gambling rooms that we have across the United States1381have connectivity to the cartels as part of their money1382laundering organizations.1383    Chair Cornyn. And of course, that includes--and you have1384covered this, but just to emphasize, it also includes smuggling1385things like fentanyl, which has killed hundreds of thousands of1386Americans over the years that primarily comes from Mexico and1387making money with the drugs but also human trafficking. Every1388individual that they smuggle across the border, they get paid,1389right?1390    Sheriff Boyd. That is absolutely correct. They get paid an1391upfront fee, but they also get paid additional fees while1392they're here in the United States. And as I've articulated1393before, you know, we found that it takes about 8 to 13 years1394for people to pay off that debt once they're here.1395    One of the things that Senator Moody touched on was about1396our enemies laughing at us, but that goes right along with, you1397know, the cartels have been doing the same thing for quite some1398time. And you bring up fentanyl. You'll notice that our1399fentanyl deaths have drastically reduced under the Trump1400administration. The fentanyl coming in this country has1401drastically reduced, not just because of the fact that Border1402Patrol has really tightened up the border across the United1403States and Mexico, but also the fact that the cartels--our1404intelligence tells us the cartels have curtailed their fentanyl1405production because they are afraid that the administration may1406come into Mexico and come after them as a result of killing so1407many Americans.1408    And so all the cartel is doing right now is they're biding1409their time. And if they can get to a point to where Trump is1410going to be out of office and we're going to have a weak1411administration, they will immediately fire back up the fentanyl1412production, and we will see the same tragedy happening over1413again if we don't fix this problem right now. Now is our1414opportunity to defund and dismantle the cartels, and if we1415don't take advantage of it, it's our own fault.1416    Chair Cornyn. So I think sometimes people think that1417illegal immigration and smuggling of drugs stops at the border,1418but you mentioned the logistical support that other criminal1419organizations and gangs, for example, provide. What happens1420once the drugs are smuggled in the United States through this1421logistical support that you mentioned?1422    Sheriff Boyd. You have to look at----1423    Chair Cornyn. And is this isolated in any geographic area,1424or is it nationwide?1425    Sheriff Boyd [continuing]. It's pervasive. It's all the way1426across our Nation. It's in--you got to look at the New1427Generation Jalisco Cartel is in, I believe, 56 countries at1428this point in time. But when it comes to the distribution of1429product, they are pervasive all across the United States and1430Mexico. They have submitted their organization, solidified1431their business model. Look at them like you would look at a1432large department store across the United States. They have1433employees, they have contract employees, they have distribution1434networks all throughout the United States. It's like a spider1435web, and that's the problem. We have to deny them their1436logistical capacity to conduct their business here in the U.S.1437if we're going to get rid of the cartels.1438    Chair Cornyn. Well, for example, Ms. Carter-Walters, I know1439in Chicago, I either read in the paper or I see on TV or social1440media the number of violent deaths and murders that occur in1441Chicago on a regular basis over the weekend. But Sheriff Boyd,1442would you say that a significant number, some or most or all,1443perhaps maybe not all of the criminal activity, including1444violent deaths in places like Chicago, are tied to illegal drug1445trafficking?1446    Sheriff Boyd. Absolutely. And if you look across the board1447in law enforcement, what we know in law enforcement is this,1448that at least 95 percent of all of the Class 1 crimes in the1449United States of America that are committed--that's your1450burglary, robbery, sexual assault, homicide--those things are1451tied directly to the Mexican cartels and the products they push1452into this country because people commit crimes based off of1453greed, based off of their addiction, and based off of1454territorial disputes. Those things across the United States,1455doesn't matter where you're at, tie right back to Mexico.1456    Chair Cornyn. So I think sometimes, people want to1457differentiate or distinguish between local criminal conduct,1458particularly by gangs and the like, but what you are saying is1459there is a direct connection, or even a pipeline, for the1460criminal conduct of the cartels in places like Mexico and what1461happens in places like Chicago. And I suppose that these1462organizations, they fight for market share and fight even among1463themselves. And is that, in part, responsible for the gun1464deaths that you see in places like Chicago on a regular basis?1465    Sheriff Boyd. It is based off of those markets that are1466going to have a higher value. You're going to have organized1467crime come in and try to vie for the rights of those1468territories. And sometimes the only way to get those rights1469pulled away from one organization is to take them out, and1470you'll see a lot of that violence.1471    But like I said, that crime is tied directly back to1472Mexico. If somebody breaks into your house tonight, they're1473probably trying to feed an addiction, an addiction, probably,1474to drugs that they got from a dealer who works for an1475organization that is a subcontractor for a contractor that1476works directly for the Mexican cartels. So most of our major1477crime leads right back to Mexico.1478    Chair Cornyn. So you really can't separate domestic crime1479and law enforcement from what is happening at the border and by1480virtue of these criminal organizations that we call cartels.1481    Sheriff Boyd. They are one and the same.1482    Chair Cornyn. Well, let me thank all of you for your1483willingness and courage to testify. You can tell that this1484topic is not universally popular because sometimes the truth1485hurts. People don't want to hear it. And rather than engage in1486reasoned debate and discussion and trying to drill down to what1487are the facts and what is disinformation, they just decide to1488ignore it altogether and stick their head in the sand. And1489unfortunately, you have seen some of that here today. But I1490very much appreciate all of you being willing to come and1491having the courage to tell us what we need to hear in order to1492help make our communities safe.1493    And I know sometimes, President Trump gets criticized for1494dispatching the National Guard or other Federal law enforcement1495officials to some of these communities to quell the violence1496and to back up and assist local law enforcement, but it strikes1497me that the reaction by the residents of those communities is1498much like that expressed by Mayor Bowser here in Washington,1499DC, when she welcomed the National Guard coming in and backing1500up local law enforcement, which has had a dramatic impact and1501reduction on crime including carjackings, assaults, and robbery1502and murder in the District of Columbia.1503    And why it is that political leaders, the governors and1504mayors in some of these places like Illinois, ignore that and1505somehow hide behind these well-funded organizations which help1506sponsor and encourage and facilitate the demonstrations like we1507have seen against ICE doing the job of enforcing the law that1508Congress has passed.1509    If people have a disagreement with the law, then there is a1510forum for them to come and talk about that and to petition1511their elected representatives to change the law. But these are1512laws that have been passed, on a bipartisan basis, by Congress.1513And these heroic law enforcement officials are doing that in1514communities all across the country, and they don't deserve to1515be vilified or attacked or assaulted or even criticized, I1516believe, for doing the job we have actually asked them to do.1517    So thank you all for being here. I appreciate your time and1518your testimony. We are going to leave the record open for a1519short while here in case there are any other questions that1520Members of the Committee may have. And they may come your way,1521so keep an eye out for those if that happens.1522    I know frequently we have conflicting Committee assignments1523and other activities, so even some Senators who want to be here1524couldn't be here, so you may well see those follow-up questions1525for the record.1526    So thank you very much. This hearing is adjourned.1527    [Whereupon, at 4:04 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]1528    [Additional material submitted for the record follows.]15291530[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]15311532                            A P P E N D I X15331534The following submissions are available at:15351536  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-119shrg62971/pdf/CHRG-119shrg1537    62971-add1.pdf15381539Submitted by Ranking Member Padilla:15401541 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), statement.................     215421543 American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial1544    Organizations (AFL-CIO), ICE Under Fire, statement............    1315451546 American Immigration Council (AIC), ICE and Public Safety,1547    statement.....................................................    1515481549 Black, Pastor David, statement...................................    1915501551 Coalition, statement.............................................    2315521553 Interfaith Alliance, ICE Under Fire, The Radical Left's Crusade1554    Against Immigration Enforcement, statement....................    2815551556 Quesada, Chief Ruben, statement..................................    3215571558 Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, statement..........    3615591560                                 [all]