Rodney Scott bristles as Shri Thanedar warns he may 'need a pardon' during heated Homeland Security hearing

WASHINGTON, DC: A sharp clash erupted in Congress on Tuesday, February 10, when US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott faced aggressive questioning from Rep Shri Thanedar during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. Thanedar accused federal immigration agencies of acting outside the law and suggested Scott could one day require presidential protection amid growing outrage over the deaths of two US citizens at the hands of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Scott was testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee alongside other senior immigration officials when the Michigan Democrat zeroed in on recent fatal encounters involving federal agents in Minnesota-  cases that have sparked outrage, protests and renewed scrutiny of enforcement practices under Donald Trump.

Shri Thanedar & Rodney Scott clash during hearing

Thanedar framed his line of questioning around the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, arguing that the incidents reflect systemic failures inside agencies overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.

He accused immigration authorities of operating without accountability and pressed Scott on whether he believed consequences could follow.

The exchange took a dramatic turn when Thanedar raised the subject of presidential pardons.

“Do you think President Trump will pardon you and your boss, Kristi Noem, before he leaves office just like he has for insurrectionist and his political allies?” Thanedar asked. “Do you believe President Trump will pardon you?”

Scott rejected the premise outright, declining to speculate on Trump’s actions and defending his conduct as commissioner.

“I’m not going to speak on behalf of President Trump,” Scott said. “But I’ll tell you, I signed up for this job to protect America, and I’m very proud of the service that I provide. And I don’t need a pardon from anybody.”

His response appeared to further inflame Thanedar, who used the remainder of his time to issue a warning not just to Scott, but to the administration as a whole.

'You will be held accountable', Thanedar warns

As his questioning window closed, Thanedar delivered a forceful rebuke, asserting that immigration agencies have lost public trust and will eventually face consequences.

“You better hope so! You better hope you get pardoned because you will be held accountable for the absolute disregard of the law your agencies have shown over the past year,” he said. “Your agencies have lost the trust of the American people.”

Thanedar pointed to nationwide protests as evidence that enforcement tactics have crossed legal and moral lines.

He went further, reiterating his long-standing position that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be dismantled altogether.

“ICE must be abolished,” Thanedar said flatly. He also called for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing the Trump administration of enabling what he described as “rogue departments” that operate without sufficient congressional oversight.

Scott testified alongside Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, whose agencies all fall under DHS.

The hearing was tense throughout, with lawmakers on both sides pressing officials over enforcement authority, accountability, and the scope of executive power.

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