Speaking in Spanish during the press conference, Rivas declared that “for the people of the United States, we don’t want to see our government, or ICE officials, acting like domestic terrorists.”
Her remarks quickly sparked backlash from DHS officials, who argued that such rhetoric contributes to an increasingly dangerous environment for immigration officers carrying out enforcement operations across the country.
The congressional delegation was led by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and came after 111 House Democrats signed a letter urging the administration to permanently shut down the Dilley detention center, claiming conditions there raise serious humanitarian concerns.
Progressive lawmakers used the visit to escalate criticism even further.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) renewed her long-standing demand to abolish ICE while accusing President Donald Trump of authoritarianism. Pressley also called for stripping ICE officers of qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that protects government officials from personal civil liability while performing their official duties under many circumstances.
She argued that individual ICE agents should face personal accountability for injuries or deaths connected to immigration enforcement operations.
The Department of Homeland Security responded forcefully, rejecting the lawmakers’ characterization of ICE personnel and warning that inflammatory political rhetoric has coincided with a sharp escalation in attacks targeting federal officers.
A DHS spokesperson stated, “Attacks and demonization of ICE law enforcement are wrong.”
The agency then pointed to statistics it says illustrate the growing danger faced by officers.
According to DHS, assaults against ICE personnel have increased by 1,300 percent. The department also reported a 3,200 percent increase in vehicular attacks targeting officers and an 8,000 percent surge in death threats directed at ICE agents and their families.
Administration officials argue these are not merely numbers but evidence of an increasingly hostile climate surrounding immigration enforcement.
Among the incidents highlighted by DHS was an alleged assault in which an illegal immigrant with a criminal record struck an ICE officer in the face using a metal coffee cup, reportedly causing injuries that required 13 stitches.
The department also referenced the attack on the ICE facility in Dallas, where a sniper allegedly opened fire, shooting three detainees and killing two.
Officials further cited the armed assault at the Prairieland Detention Center, where authorities say at least ten individuals opened fire on ICE officers during an attack on the facility.
In response to Rivas’ comments, DHS issued another pointed statement defending its officers.
“Rep. Luz Rivas should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from her state – NOT vilifying law enforcement,” the department said.
The Trump administration has increasingly argued that Democratic rhetoric toward ICE has crossed a dangerous line, pointing to a series of statements made by prominent members of the party over recent years.
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz previously referred to ICE as “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo.”
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) compared ICE officers to the Gestapo and described them as “nondescript thugs.”
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) has labeled ICE agents “secret police.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has repeatedly argued that ICE “should not exist.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) described ICE officers as “vigilantes who can’t be trusted.”
According to the White House, officials have documented dozens of public statements by Democratic lawmakers that portray ICE officers in highly negative terms, arguing that this pattern of rhetoric has contributed to increased hostility toward federal law enforcement.
Rivas also emphasized that her Los Angeles-area district has experienced frequent immigration enforcement activity, saying her community has been heavily affected by ICE operations.
Supporters of the administration counter that those operations have focused on removing violent offenders, gang members, child predators, and other criminal illegal aliens rather than targeting law-abiding residents.
Another major point of disagreement centers on the Dilley detention facility itself.
Democratic lawmakers have portrayed the center as unsafe and inhumane, but the administration maintains that those claims are unsupported by official findings.
Court filings submitted by the federal government earlier this year stated investigators found no evidence supporting allegations of worms in food, reported no suicide-watch placements during the relevant period, and documented no reportable critical incidents matching the accusations made by critics.
DHS has also noted that the facility was specifically designed to house families and includes classrooms, teachers, toys, cribs, infant formula, and other accommodations intended for parents and children awaiting immigration proceedings.
For the Trump administration, the dispute extends well beyond one detention center.
Officials argue the broader effort to dismantle ICE depends on convincing the public that the agency itself is fundamentally abusive. They contend that if Americans instead view ICE as carrying out lawful arrests of violent criminals and enforcing federal immigration law, calls to abolish the agency lose much of their political appeal.
With tensions over immigration continuing to dominate the national debate, the latest exchange between congressional Democrats and the Department of Homeland Security underscores just how deeply divided Washington remains over the role of ICE, border security, and the future of immigration enforcement in the United States.
