More than two dozen Democratic members of the United States Congress are in St. Paul Friday for field hearing on the actions of ICE agents in Minnesota.
A congressional field hearing is a formal meeting of a U.S. House or Senate committee held outside of Washington, D.C. Often they're held in a location directly affected by the issue, often to get firsthand accounts which is the case this week in St. Paul.
Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington State is ranking member of the Immigration, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee.
"What is happening in Minnesota is a pattern that is dangerous to every single person in America, because if they can erode the rights of some, they can do it to you. No one is safe," Jayapal said at one point.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Twin Cities mayors Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, and Kaohly Her (St. Paul) were among those who gave testimony to the sub-committee.
This is the sixth field hearing by the congressional panel.
Minnesota fourth district Congresswoman Betty McCollum was part of the subcommittee and addressed President Trump directly.
"President Trump, stop stoking the chaos in our neighborhoods," Rep. McCollum said. "You are creating a dangerous escalation. Now, Minnesota, we're not taking the bait. To my fellow Americans in other states, these actions left unchallenged could mean you're next."
Minnesota Rep. Kelly Morrison said that what she is seeing has nothing to do with immigration enforcement.
"In recent days, he has, three times the president said that he won the election in Minnesota, which is historically inaccurate, not factually true," Morrison said. "What other words can I use? And so this is a campaign of escalation on his part and retribution in our state. The idea that he would threaten to invoke the Insurrection Act on one of these United States should horrify everyone in our country."
Morrison says the number of constituents she heard from who have been detained just this morning is shocking.
"United States citizen, a hockey dad who was in a parking lot, unclear what he's being charged with, but he's detained," she explains. A U.S. citizen running an errand in the suburbs, and then a 20-year old U.S. Marine detained by ICE."
One of the testifiers at Friday's hearing on ICE activities in the state recounted her experience of being arrested during a protest, and held in a detention center for nine hours. She was then released without charges.
"I heard wailing, screaming, crying, begging and pleading from women, men and children," she explained. "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."
Around two dozens Democratic members of Congress flew in for the hearing in St. Paul.
Some Republican members are not recognizing it as official government business, although Congressional committees do have authority to hold these hearings.