The House Homeland Security Committee is preparing to hold a hearing on December 3, which will explore the alleged connection between anti-law enforcement rhetoric and an increase in violence against officers, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The hearing, scheduled for the committee’s jurisdiction, follows a surge in attacks on federal immigration officials, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reporting a nearly 700% rise in such violent encounters compared to the prior year. Lawmakers, including Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino, have accused anti-police rhetoric of creating a climate of hostility against law enforcement.
Garbarino, a Republican from New York, has stated that it is unacceptable for officers to be targeted by violence from radicals and international gangs on U.S. soil. His comments come as Congress debates the role of law enforcement and the resources available to protect officers on the job. The hearing, titled