March 3 (UPI) -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to testify on the Trump administration's immigration raids in Minneapolis.
The department is under an ongoing partial shutdown due to a funding lapse from Congress failing to agree on a stopgap funding plan last month. Noem is expected to face questions about operating during the shutdown in light of the United States launching joint strikes with Israel against Iran.
Tuesday's testimony is Noem's first since December when the Minneapolis raids began. Since then, immigration officers killed two civilians, U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the committee, said immigration agents made "mistakes" but added that "officers should never be threatened or harmed while enforcing our laws."
"There is a clear difference between conduct protected by the First Amendment and unlawful obstruction," Grassley said in his opening statement.
