Krishnamoorthi Exposes Trump DHS' Systemic Violence and Lying, Demands Firings and Accountability
WASHINGTON — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today exposed a pattern of systemic violence by Trump DHS at a bicameral shadow hearing titled “Our Values at Stake: Examining DHS’ Use of Violence in Immigration Enforcement,” detailing repeated uses of excessive force, false official narratives, and entrenched impunity under President Trump.
During the hearing, Krishnamoorthi laid out how DHS and ICE operations carried out under President Trump — including Operation Midway Blitz — inflicted serious, systemic harm on Chicago-area communities. Incidents examined included the pepper-spraying of a one-year-old child, the tasing of a U.S. citizen who refused to allow agents into his vehicle, the deployment of tear gas and smoke bombs in residential neighborhoods, and multiple shootings — including the killing of Silverio Villegas-González, a Chicago father of two who was shot after dropping his children off at school.
Krishnamoorthi underscored that Trump DHS repeatedly justified these actions by claiming they made communities safer — claims that collapsed under scrutiny. Pointing to body-camera footage, eyewitness testimony, and court findings, he emphasized that violent encounters were routinely followed by misleading or false official accounts from Trump administration officials.
Despite Trump's DHS claiming Mr. Villegas-González had attacked federal agents, "there was no evidence,” Krishnamoorthi said. “This is part of a pattern.”
He also warned against allowing the human cost of DHS violence to fade from public memory. “The nation knows the names Renée Good and Alex Pretti — but let us not forget Mr. Silverio Villegas-González, a Chicagoan and a father of two,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Krishnamoorthi further highlighted testimony showing how DHS officials under President Trump advanced false narratives after violent encounters, only for those stories to unravel when video evidence and independent investigations emerged. Citing a federal court ruling in which a judge accused a senior Customs and Border Protection commander of “outright lying” about the use of force against peaceful protesters in the Chicago area, Krishnamoorthi stated bluntly: “He lied. He lied again.”
The Congressman reiterated his call for accountability at the highest levels of the department. “I have already called for Secretary Noem to be fired or impeached,” Krishnamoorthi said. “Today, I am calling for Greg Bovino to be fired.” He emphasized that officials who authorize, carry out, and attempt to cover up abuses of power must be investigated and held accountable.
Krishnamoorthi closed by warning that Trump DHS actions have placed lives at risk, eroded public trust, and undermined the rule of law — and that restoring accountability is essential to ensuring federal power is never again wielded with such impunity.
Footage of Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s question line is available here.