Minnesota’s congressional Democrats made an appearance in St. Paul Friday morning for a hearing dubbed “Trump’s deadly assault on Minnesota.”

The hearing, co-hosted by U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., is the sixth in the “Kidnapped and Disappeared” series held by Jayapal and congressional Democrats, highlighting the effects of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

“What we are witnessing right now is unprecedented,” Omar said in opening comments. “There is no modern precedent for this level of federal overreach, violence, lawlessness, carried out in the name of immigration enforcement.

“This is not routine enforcement. This is not about public safety. This is not even about immigration. This is about political retribution.”

Testimony from Ellison, Frey, Her

The committee heard testimony from Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her — who all sued the Department of Homeland Security on Jan. 12.

“Let me be clear, we’re not suing because ICE is in Minnesota,” Ellison said. “They were in Minnesota last year. They’re in Minnesota 10 years ago. We didn’t sue them then. We sued them over this activity, which is unjustified, unconstitutional, damages our state, interferes with our sovereignty.

“It’s arbitrary, capricious, and damaging to all of us. That is what this lawsuit is all about.”

Along with local and immigration lawyers and activists, the committee saw testimony from two U.S. citizens who were detained by ICE: Patty O’Keefe, an ICE observer who said she was in custody for nine hours.

“When I was inside my cell, I heard wailing, screaming, crying, begging and pleading from women, men and children,” O’Keefe said. “Alongside that visceral anguish was the small talk, banter and laughter from the federal agents outside our cells, clearly desensitized to the deep and audible pain right in front of their eyes.”

The hearing comes a little over a week after Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent, and two days after another individual was shot in the leg by an ICE agent.

Administration on immigration enforcement

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said on Sunday and Monday that hundreds more agents, in addition to the 2,000 already in the state, would be sent to Minnesota. Local leaders are reporting escalating operations from ICE since Good’s shooting.

Trump threatened on Thursday to use the Insurrection Act to quell protests. A news release from the White House on Friday morning said the “toxic combination of ‘sanctuary’ policies and anti-ICE rhetoric has created a climate of hostility that endangers federal officers and incites violence.”

“Make no mistake: the responsibility for the enhanced enforcement operations in Minnesota — and the tension and violence — lies squarely with these officials who refuse to partner with the Trump Administration and instead put their Radical Left agenda over public safety and the rule of law,” the release said.

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Gov. Tim Walz and Frey, have encouraged protesters to remain peaceful. In response to the threat of the Insurrection Act on Thursday, Walz said that he’s making a “direct appeal to the President.”

“Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of retribution. This is not who we are,” Walz said.