Chris Murphy calls ICE operations ‘inhumane and illegal,’ questions Minneapolis shooting probe

WASHINGTON, DC: Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy appearing on NBC News’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, January 11, said there was a need for a domestic enforcement mechanism for the immigration law and that the way ICE operated was “inhumane and illegal.”

Murphy was asked if he believed that ICE agent Jonathan Ross had acted in self-defence when he fatally shot the 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Wednesday.

Murphy stated that he didn’t believe there would be an investigation into the ICE agent’s conduct since Vice President JD Vance had essentially declared that Ross and all other ICE officers had immunity.

Chris Murphy slams DHS conduct on Minneapolis shooting

The Connecticut Senator pointed out that while Good’s killing was one of the most high-profile and “heinous” acts of violence by ICE agents, there had been over a dozen other cases like the Minneapolis shooting across America.

“The way in which the DHS is conducting itself today is making our communities less safe,” he claimed. 

Murphy stated that he heard Vance say that ICE was targeting criminals, which was untrue. He added that the federal agents were rounding up mostly peaceful immigrants and were putting American citizens at risk. 

Chris Murphy on making reforms in ICE operations

Kristen Welker asked Murphy about his wanting ICE agents to present arrest warrants, the ban on masks, and the limitation to ICE’s use of firearms, and asked whether any Republicans were in favor of his demands and whether his ideas would pass in the House of Congress.

Murphy stated that republicans needed democratic votes to be able to pass a budget for the Department of Homeland Security. However, he clarified that the reforms he sought were not new, but that he wanted things to go back to how they were when ICE cared about legality. 

Murphy pointed out that the identification of officers was a standard practice across the country.

“We just need to get back to a Department of Homeland Security that is prioritizing the law and prioritizing keeping people safe,” Murphy said.

The Senator said it was reasonable for Democrats to vote in favor of his reforms to ensure that ICE would operate safely and legally. 

Murphy on whether Trump should be impeached

Kristen Welker asked Murphy whether he agreed with Nancy Pelosi's saying that Donald Trump had not crossed the line that could call for him to be impeached. Murphy stated that since he would be a juror in an impeachment trial, he didn't like to advise the House on whether they should impeach a president or not. 

However, he added that he had common sense and knew that Donald Trump had committed "ten times more impeachable offenses" during his second term than he did in his first term. 

 Murphy cited corruption and trading national secrets for investment in cryptocurrency as his reasons for wanting to impeach Donald Trump.

"It's no secret that the level of corruption and legality is nuclear grade," he added.