The Department of Homeland Security inspector general has started a review of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection investigate and respond to allegations of excessive force, following two fatal shootings during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis in January. Democratic lawmakers have urged the watchdog to move quickly and share preliminary findings with Congress and the public.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has launched a review of how DHS law enforcement components handle allegations of excessive force.
The work, led by DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, is examining whether ICE’s processes for receiving, investigating and addressing excessive-force complaints comply with federal law and internal DHS and ICE policies. The scope also includes CBP, which has been involved in recent use-of-force incidents tied to immigration operations.
The review follows two shootings during immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis that resulted in deaths. On January 7, 2026, Renée Good was fatally shot during an operation involving an ICE officer. On January 24, 2026, Alex Pretti was killed during a separate incident involving CBP personnel; the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and DHS have said they are reviewing the circumstances around that shooting.
In a letter sent this week to Cuffari, Democratic lawmakers pressed the inspector general to complete the work quickly and to provide early findings to Congress and the public, arguing that communities have faced severe harm from federal immigration enforcement tactics. The lawmakers cited the Minneapolis incidents as evidence of heightened urgency.
The lawmakers also pointed to a recent Government Accountability Office report that found DHS OIG has not consistently met internal timeliness benchmarks for audits, including a goal of completing audits within 397 days from initiation to issuance.
DHS OIG and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Some details circulating about a broader White House response—such as personnel changes within Border Patrol leadership in Minnesota, the dispatch of Trump adviser Tom Homan to Minneapolis for political meetings, or a specific announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requiring body cameras in Minneapolis—could not be independently confirmed from the available public records reviewed for this article. Separately, DHS has faced mounting calls from Democratic lawmakers for tighter oversight of immigration enforcement practices, including demands to rescind internal guidance that lawmakers say would allow warrantless entry into homes without a judicial warrant.
The inspector general’s review is expected to focus on oversight mechanics, including how ICE and CBP refer and investigate serious use-of-force incidents, how allegations are tracked and resolved, and whether existing policies provide adequate safeguards and accountability.
