During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Wednesday, Democrats attempted to remove a witness when he expressed concern over the Left’s increasing violence against federal immigration officials as they attempt to enforce the law.  

Wednesday’s hearing examined the role of nongovernmental organizations in exacerbating human trafficking, crimes, and the illegal immigration crisis through their handling of federal funds.  

Democrats claimed that Republican efforts to hold pro-illegal immigration organizations accountable equated to an “attack” on religious freedom and that Oversight Project President Mike Howell’s testimony, which condemned escalating violence from the Left against law enforcement officers carrying out federal immigration law, was beyond the purview of the hearing. 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., led the effort to expel Howell and invalidate his testimony. Thompson complained Howell was going “outside the scope of this hearing.” 

Howell, whose work at the independent watchdog group the Oversight Project has exposed the failures of the U.S. immigration system under the Biden presidency, had voiced his concerns about the rising violence against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents before Thompson attempted to remove him from the hearing.  

Committee member Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., immediately objected to the motion, saying, “That’s absurd. … Clearly, the Democrats don’t want to hear truth. I object to the ranking member’s ridiculous position.” 

Acting Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., responded to Thompson, “The chair has ruled that [Howell’s] testimony is part of the basis upon which he is briefing this committee, and it will be used to talk about his ultimate findings as it relates to the purpose of this committee.”  

Thompson requested a recorded vote, and the committee approved Howell’s ability to testify with a 9-8 vote. 

Democrats targeted other Republicans members of the committee as well. 

In his opening statement, Thompson complained about the hearing, saying, “[President] Donald Trump began his second term by attacking religious organizations, and he’s not rested since. … Just read the Republicans’ press release about their vindictive investigation of American charities in this sham hearing. … It’s an attack on diverse, faith-based organizations over their religious practices and it is a threat to charities that do humanitarian work Republicans do not like.”  

Thompson then took aim at Guest and said, “What does surprise me is that my good friend, Michael Guest, my colleague from Mississippi, a proud Sunday school teacher, is chairing a hearing that attacks Christianity and bullies private citizens over what they choose to do in lawful service in their communities.” 

Thompson ended with the statement: “Many on the other side [Republicans] purport to be Christians, but their actions today do not square with anything I learned in church.”