Rep. Grijalva Delivers Remarks at Field Hearing on Trump’s Lawless Assaults in Minneapolis
ST. PAUL, M.N. — U.S. Representative Adelita S. Grijalva delivered the following remarks today at a field hearing in Minneapolis titled “Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Deadly Assault on Minnesota.”
The full recorded livestream of the event is available here. (Rep. Grijalva speaks at 3:14:50)
You can view Rep. Grijalva’s remarks here.
Her full remarks are below:
I would like to start by acknowledging the gravity of this moment – highlighted by the fearless testimony of the witnesses here – which is especially true for the people of Minneapolis and for communities across the country who are living in fear. This city is mourning the loss of one of its community members – Renee Nicole Good. Three children are now mourning the loss of their mother because a federal agent shot and killed her at point blank range.
And what has the federal response been?
Calls for a transparent, accountable investigation? Nope – we’re watching a federally-controlled probe shut out state and local authorities, offering zero transparency.
Are we seeing a calm commander-in-chief, urging de-escalation and respect for peaceful protest? No –we’re seeing blatant intimidation and threats to invoke the Insurrection Act.
Do we hear even the faintest acknowledgement that maybe – just maybe – something went wrong here? No. Instead, we see Secretary Noem distort the facts, gaslight the American public, and try to make us not believe what we can see with our own eyes.
Let’s be clear: Renee Nicole Good was murdered at the hands of ICE – a lawless agency that is promoting chaos and fear in our communities across the country. What is happening in Minnesota is unfortunately all too familiar for Arizonans. Arizona is no stranger to this fight. In 2010, the state passed SB1070 – the “show me your papers” law. 1070 was one of the broadest, strictest laws of its kind at the time and it made Arizona a testing ground for racial profiling and cruel immigration policies – the very kind that we see implemented across the country today.
I represent a district that shares 300 miles of the border with Mexico, where families live on both sides of the border, people have mixed status, and the presence of Border
Patrol and immigration agents is a fact of our daily life. But the level of aggression we have seen since Trump took office is truly unprecedented. I witnessed this firsthand when federal agents raided a local restaurant in my district. When I showed up to ask for more information to do my job of oversight and try to de-escalate the situation, they indiscriminately sprayed chemical irritants on the crowd, which included myself and journalists documenting the scene. Then they spun it, and gaslighted the community.
What we are seeing here in Minnesota and what I have seen in Arizona is part of that same pattern: federal agents using force instead of restraint. Intimidation instead of engagement. Secrecy instead of transparency.
That is why until significant reforms are made, Congress should not allocate another dime – ni un centavo – to immigration enforcement agencies. Secretary Noem should be impeached for her handling of this incident – and for her campaign of terror across the country.
We need to make sure that federal law enforcement serves the people – la gente – not terrorizes them. We need accountability. We need answers. And that is why we are
all here today.
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