Senator Bernie Moreno called out Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a fiery Senate hearing, exposing how Democrat officials obstruct federal immigration enforcement while American citizens pay the deadly price.
Story Snapshot
- Sen. Moreno branded Ellison a “low caliber man” during heated Senate Homeland Security hearing on immigration enforcement failures
- Exchange followed fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis amid Democrat-encouraged protests blocking ICE operations
- Republican senators confronted Ellison over Minnesota’s resistance to federal immigration enforcement and encouragement of obstruction protests
- Senate DHS funding vote failed 52-47, triggering partial agency shutdown as Democrats demanded restrictions on immigration enforcement
Heated Senate Confrontation Exposes Border Enforcement Obstruction
Senator Bernie Moreno directly confronted Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison during a Thursday Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, calling him a “low caliber man” and “an insult” for Minnesota’s role in obstructing federal immigration enforcement. The explosive exchange occurred as Republicans grilled Ellison over his state’s encouragement of protests that blocked ICE operations in Minneapolis. Senator Ron Johnson also told Ellison “You disgust me,” accusing him of promoting dangerous interference with federal agents. These confrontations highlighted the growing frustration among conservatives with Democrat officials who undermine immigration enforcement while citizens face deadly consequences from failed border policies.
Fatal Shootings Trigger Accountability Showdown
The hearing’s intense atmosphere stemmed from January 2026 shootings where immigration agents killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Democrats seized on these tragedies to demand sweeping restrictions on ICE and CBP, including mandatory body cameras, unmasked agents, and bans on enforcement in sensitive locations. Republicans defended federal agents facing unprecedented hostility while executing lawful immigration enforcement duties under the Trump administration. Committee Chairman Rand Paul demanded accountability for what he called “terrible police work,” while ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott defended their agencies’ training protocols covering 37 use-of-force investigations.
Minnesota’s Sanctuary Policies Enable Dangerous Obstruction
Senator Johnson specifically accused Ellison of encouraging protests that physically blocked federal immigration enforcement operations, creating dangerous confrontations between activists and law enforcement officers. Ellison denied these accusations, claiming “Everything you said was untrue,” but Republicans pointed to Minnesota’s pattern of sanctuary-style resistance to federal immigration authority. This represents exactly the kind of state-level obstruction that undermines constitutional federal supremacy over immigration enforcement and creates lawless zones where illegal aliens receive protection over law-abiding citizens. Senator Moreno defended agents against rush-to-judgment based on social media videos, arguing it was “outrageous to indict based on social media video” without full investigation of dangerous enforcement situations.
Democrat Demands Trigger DHS Shutdown Crisis
The confrontation occurred as Senate Democrats blocked DHS funding legislation, with a 52-47 vote failure triggering a partial agency shutdown effective February 14, 2026. Democrats refused short-term funding without mandating body cameras and other restrictions that Republicans argue would handcuff agents facing violent resistance during enforcement operations. Senator Tammy Baldwin hosted a conference demanding these reforms as conditions for funding, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted negotiations remained stalled despite the looming deadline. This represents Democrat willingness to shut down homeland security operations rather than support effective immigration enforcement under President Trump. The standoff leaves 12,000 newly recruited DHS personnel in limbo while border security operations face disruption from political gamesmanship prioritizing illegal alien protection over American safety.
The hearing exposed the fundamental conflict between Republicans supporting lawful immigration enforcement and Democrats obstructing federal authority through sanctuary policies and funding blackmail. With DHS Sec. Kristi Noem’s leadership blocked by Democrat procedural warfare and investigations into the Minneapolis shootings still incomplete, the Trump administration faces coordinated resistance from blue-state officials undermining immigration law. This showdown demonstrates why voters elected President Trump: to restore order at the border and end the sanctuary obstruction that turns American communities into zones where federal law doesn’t apply and citizens pay the price for Democrat open-borders ideology.
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‘You’re a low caliber man, Mr Ellison!’: Moreno snaps at Minnesota AG in explosive Senate hearing
Top immigration officials are questioned about enforcement as a shutdown at DHS looms
