“I don’t care if Stephen Miller wants ICE to be able to beat up, shoot, or detain citizens. In America, we believe in our Constitution. We believe in law and order,” Senator Patty Murray insisted, calling on Congress to rein in the federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement amid what she described as unprecedented government overreach. Her remarks, delivered during a Senate hearing on federal immigration operations, directly targeted the influence of Stephen Miller, the United States Homeland Security Advisor, and highlighted mounting Democratic concerns over ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) practices.
I don't care if Stephen Miller wants ICE to be able to beat up, shoot, or detain citizens.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) February 13, 2026
In America, we believe in due process. We believe in our Constitution. We believe in law and order—safe streets, law enforcement we can trust.
If you don’t like that? Go to Russia. pic.twitter.com/YNa53ZOp65
Murray outlined what she called a pattern of lawless behavior by federal agents, including breaking into vehicles, tear-gassing peaceful protesters, and detaining citizens without warrants. She described instances of children being used as leverage, parents being separated from their children, and U.S. veterans being deported. “The chaos, the brutality— all of it has happened at the explicit direction of this president and a Republican Congress that wrote him a blank check for ICE and CBP,” Murray said. She added that basic measures, such as requiring agents to carry identification and obtain judicial warrants before entering homes, are being ignored despite long-established legal standards.
Central to Murray’s criticism was Stephen Miller’s role in shaping enforcement policy. Democrats, including Representative Seth Magaziner, have argued that Miller effectively controls ICE operations, leaving agency officials fearful of retaliation for speaking out. Magaziner stated during a House hearing that ICE Director Todd Lyons and other witnesses offered vague or noncommittal answers because they feared consequences from Miller and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Murray echoed these concerns, calling Miller’s influence “outrageous” and asserting that his vision of enforcement—allowing agents to detain or even shoot individuals without due process—is incompatible with American law and constitutional protections. “Sorry, but I don’t care if Stephen Miller wants a special force that’s empowered to beat up and detain or shoot whomever he doesn’t like. In America, we believe in due process,” she said. “If you don’t like that, go to Russia.”
Magaziner: They can say nothing because it's really Stephen Miller and Kristi who are calling the shots… @PabloReports: Is there a way to compel Stephen Miller to testify?
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 10, 2026
Magaziner: When we're in the majority, we absolutely will pic.twitter.com/B7xfyNRDnj
Murray’s remarks come as Democrats push for legislation to establish oversight and accountability measures for ICE and CBP. The proposals include transparency requirements, compliance with constitutional protections, and limits on the agencies’ ability to detain nonviolent individuals. She emphasized that these reforms would not interfere with detaining convicted violent criminals but would ensure that federal agencies operate under the law. “We are insisting on basic measures to protect our constitutional rights and hold these agencies accountable to some of the most basic standards as local police,” she said.
Other Democratic lawmakers have joined in criticizing Miller’s influence, labeling him a driving force behind aggressive federal enforcement strategies. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Miller a “malignant, unelected interloper,” while Representative Don Beyer characterized his rhetoric as “deranged” and “bloodthirsty.” Senators Ruben Gallego and Ben Ray Luján also warned that Miller’s policies pose significant risks to public safety and civil liberties. The criticism coincides with heightened scrutiny of operations like Minneapolis’s Operation Metro Surge, which deployed hundreds of federal agents to detain undocumented immigrants and has been linked to multiple civilian deaths.
Despite Democratic concerns, Miller remains a key figure in the administration. Supporters argue he maintains the confidence of President Donald Trump and that policy disagreements, rather than his presence, are driving disputes over enforcement priorities. Republican lawmakers, including Senator Lindsey Graham, have indicated that Miller’s removal is unlikely, framing the debate as a broader disagreement over immigration policy rather than agency overreach.
Murray concluded her remarks by calling for immediate action, warning that continuing to fund ICE and CBP without substantial reform would amount to tacit approval of lawlessness. “Americans are demanding accountability, and we will settle for nothing less,” she said. Her comments underscore growing partisan tension over federal immigration enforcement, the role of unelected advisors, and Congress’s responsibility to ensure constitutional protections are upheld in the execution of federal law.
