U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison Joins Emergency Field Hearing to Hear Testimony on Trump’s Lawless Assaults on Minnesota
ST. PAUL, MN – Today, U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison (MN-03) joined almost 30 U.S. Representatives for an emergency field hearing and press conference to hear testimony from Minnesotans who had their Constitutional rights violated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during their aggressive and unlawful operations in Minnesota.
The field hearing, titled Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Deadly Assault on Minnesota, featured witnesses including two U.S. citizens who had been detained by ICE.
Last week, Congresswoman Morrison attempted to use her legal right and Constitutional duty to perform oversight on the Federal Whipple Building, where many Minnesotans are being detained by ICE. The Congresswoman was denied entry by ICE.
Watch Representative Morrison’s full remarks HERE.
Read a transcript of Representative Morrison’s remarks below:
Thank you Chair Jayapal, and gratitude to my colleagues who have traveled from all over these United States to bear witness to what is happening in Minnesota.
I want to express my deep gratitude to the witnesses for sharing your testimony.
It’s been an incredibly difficult time for Minnesota and especially perilous for Minnesota’s immigrant communities and communities of color.
We are all grieving the loss of Renee Good, a mother, a wife, a Minnesotan, a U.S. citizen.
Over the last 10 days this tragedy has rocked our country to its core.
In pursuit of a perceived political win and a desperate distraction, the Trump Administration and Kristi Noem have unleashed an unprecedented, reckless operation.
The sheer number of ICE agents terrorizing our community in their homes, on our streets, in our schools, in our places of worship, grocery stores, and even our hospitals, is unacceptable.
They are using increasingly aggressive, excessive, and lethal force against Minnesotans, undermining public safety, and violating fundamental rights.
We’ve repeatedly requested that the Administration increase transparency and communicate with state and local officials for the safety of the community.
But time and time again, the Administration’s response has made it abundantly clear that public safety is not their priority.
When my colleagues and I visited the Whipple detention center to exercise our legal right and Constitutional duty of Congressional oversight, we were unlawfully denied access.
In the wake of Renee Good’s killing, state officials at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension expected the same collaboration with federal officials that they experienced following similar tragedies, like the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, and the assassination of Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman.
Instead, the FBI has shut them out and pressure from Trump’s DOJ to pursue Renee Good’s widow has triggered a mass exodus in the U.S. Attorney’s office.
The Administration’s pattern of behavior flies in the face of the values foundational to our democracy and to our country.
Federal agents swore an oath to our Constitution and should be above reproach, and the checks and balances of our co-equal branches of government are indispensable to upholding the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution.
As a physician, I have a sacred duty to care for my patients and uphold my oath to do no harm.
So it was especially outrageous and painful to see that in the aftermath of the shooting, Kristi Noem’s ICE agents denied Renee Good access to available medical care.
It’s abhorrent to hear the many stories that have emerged – like the story of a Minnesota family that had to have three of their six children hospitalized after ICE agents threw flash bangs and tear gas. Their six-month old infant stopped breathing and lost consciousness.
The stories that are emerging on a daily basis are indefensible and the cruelty of the Trump Administration’s response to this ongoing tragedy is truly shocking.
Where is our humanity?
This is not what the United States of America should stand for.
I am here in the Minnesota State Capitol to send a clear message to those endangering our community.
Enough is enough.
This is beyond politics. This is beyond partisanship.
I think of Speaker Melissa Hortman every day, especially during these challenging times. And she would say that this is a moment when we have to take off our red jerseys and take off our blue jerseys and put on our Minnesota jerseys. We have to come together to protect our state and its people.
So,
I extend an urgent plea to Minnesota’s Congressional Republicans to finally side with the people of Minnesota, stand up to this President, protect our communities, and restore peace.
We have a Congressional responsibility and moral obligation to see that justice is served and our community is protected.
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