U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons testifies during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 10, 2026. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
Goldman reclaimed his time and accused ICE leadership of having it "backwards," arguing that public criticism of the agency stemmed from its own conduct.
"People are simply making valid observations about your tactics, which are un-American and outright fascist," Goldman said. "So I have a simple suggestion. If you don't want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one."
Goldman’s questioning followed Lyons’ own testimony earlier in the hearing, in which the ICE acting director said agents have been labeled "Gestapo or secret police" by elected officials and activists. Lyons tied that rhetoric to what he described as a sharp rise in threats and assaults against ICE personnel, saying it has endangered agents and their families.
U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was also compared to a Nazi. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Lawmakers raised concerns about agents operating in masks or unmarked gear, whether encounters involving U.S. citizens are being adequately documented and whether the lack of body-camera footage has hindered transparency and accountability in recent use-of-force incidents.
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Under questioning, Lyons acknowledged that only a fraction of ICE agents are currently equipped with body cameras, as lawmakers pressed the agency to expand their use and release footage to the public.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-lawmaker-compares-ice-agents-nazis-gestapo-during-fiery-house-hearing-enforcement