Opposition lawmaker denounces immigration agents as 'thugs' in heated hearing

Opposition Lawmaker Condemns Immigration Enforcement in Tense Legislative Session

A member of the nation’s opposition party launched a scathing verbal attack on federal immigration agents during a legislative oversight hearing in the capital, according to reports from the proceedings.

The lawmaker, representing a northern industrial region, reportedly called immigration enforcement officers “thugs” and accused them of criminal conduct during testimony before the legislature’s homeland security committee. The heated exchange reflects the country’s ongoing struggles with immigration policy, a divisive issue that has long plagued the nation’s political discourse.

“I have heard and seen enough. I’m just sick and tired of your agents running around in our cities, in our streets, causing illegal activities,” the opposition member allegedly told the acting director of the nation’s immigration enforcement agency, according to witness accounts.

The lawmaker went further, reportedly stating: “Immigration enforcement thugs are roaming our streets, attacking our communities, using our children as bait, referring to people as bodies and numbers, targeting people for their accents and the color of their skin, and killing citizens — all while showing zero remorse for their actions.”

The immigration official defended his agency’s record, citing nearly 379,000 arrests, including approximately 7,000 suspected gang members and 1,400 suspected terrorists. He also noted that federal agents have reportedly faced more than an 8,000% increase in death threats amid heightened enforcement activities.

The confrontation occurred as the opposition lawmaker, who has previously pushed legislation to abolish the immigration enforcement agency, questioned two senior officials about potential criminal liability. In a particularly pointed exchange, he reportedly asked whether the head of state would issue pardons for their actions, drawing parallels to previous controversial pardons.

Another opposition member from a coastal region also joined the criticism, reportedly asking the immigration director to resign, citing various alleged incidents involving enforcement actions against families and children.

“This is not the only job you can get,” the lawmaker reportedly said, referencing the official’s military background. “But since you’ve been on this job, women have been dragged by their hair through our streets. A six-year-old child battling stage four cancer has been deported, and it turns out he was a citizen.”

The immigration director reportedly declined to resign, defending his agency’s actions and stating that his personnel had provided care for abandoned children.

The heated exchanges underscore the deep divisions within the country’s political establishment over immigration policy, as the ruling party’s enforcement approach continues to face criticism from opposition lawmakers and advocacy groups. Such confrontations have become increasingly common in the nation’s legislature, reflecting broader societal tensions over immigration and border security measures.