US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, during congressional testimony stood by her remarks calling the acts of two US citizens shot dead by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis "domestic terrorism".
Ms Noem, who is overseeing Republican President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, was pressed about her statements by Democrats and some Republicans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
Shortly after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were slain in separate incidents in January, Ms Noem said they had appeared to have been involved in acts of domestic terrorism before a full investigation into the events that led to their deaths.
Video evidence subsequently undercut her assertions, and her remarks were criticised by lawmakers from both parties. Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the committee, repeatedly asked Ms Noem if she would retract her statements concerning Ms Good and Mr Pretti, as well as her similar remarks about another US citizen who survived after being shot five times in a confrontation with federal agents in Chicago.
"I was getting reports from the ground, from agents at the scene," Ms Noem testified, calling the situations chaotic but declining to retract or apologise for her statements.
"I absolutely strive to provide factual information."
Ms Noem, appointed by Mr Trump last year, faced tough questions from senators about Mr Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics during the hearing, her first congressional appearance since Ms Good and Mr Pretti were killed. The outrage caused by their deaths prompted the Trump administration to shift its strategy, moving away from large-scale, city-focused surges and toward a more targeted approach.
Under Ms Noem, thousands of masked federal agents have been deployed to US cities, where they have swept through neighbourhoods in search of possible immigration offenders and clashed with residents and protesters.
Congressional Democrats have refused to agree to new funding for her department without changes to immigration enforcement practices. Funding for the 260,000 employee department lapsed last month, but most of its immigration enforcement and national security operations are deemed essential and continue.
Ms Noem said that 650 federal agents remain in Minnesota, down from about 3,000 in January.
Senator Chuck Grassley, the committee's Republican chairman, acknowledged in opening remarks that "mistakes have been made" by the administration but defended immigration officers, saying they "should never be threatened or harmed while enforcing our laws".
Mr Trump has said mass deportations are needed after high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, and has defended Ms Noem's job performance.
House Democrats launched an effort in January to impeach Ms Noem, saying immigration agents under her leadership have violated the civil rights of US citizens, that she had blocked congressional oversight of detention centres for migrants, and that she gave government contracts to Republican-affiliated firms and people connected to close associates of hers.
The impeachment effort is likely to fail, with the House controlled by Republicans.
Iran war
Mr Grassley asked Ms Noem about steps to protect against potential sleeper cells and terrorism amid the US-Israel war against Iran.
Ms Noem did not cite specifics but said her department was taking a closer look at social media activity and interviews of immigrants who previously entered the United States.
"We are working every single day to find them and to make sure that we're preventing the next attack," said Ms Noem, a former governor of South Dakota.
Mr Trump's immigration policies, once an area of strength, could now be a liability for Republicans trying to retain control of Congress in November midterm elections.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll in February found that while a majority of Americans support deporting immigrants without legal status, about 60% think immigration agents have gone too far.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who is not seeking reelection this November, sharply criticised Ms Noem's handling of immigration arrests, saying her swift condemnation of Ms Good and Mr Pretti had eroded faith in law enforcement.
"We're beginning to get the American people to think that deporting people is wrong. It's the exact opposite," Mr Tillis said.
"The way you're going about deporting them is wrong."
Mr Tillis reiterated his earlier call for Ms Noem to resign and said he would block nominations in the Senate until DHS answered questions about the crackdown and other issues.
Multiple lawmakers pressed Ms Noem over a DHS-funded advertising campaign that reportedly cost $220 million (€189m) and prominently featured her.
ProPublica reported last year that a company run by the husband of outgoing DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin benefited from the contract.
The company, the Strategy Group, had close ties to Ms Noem and her top aide, Corey Lewandowski, ProPublica reported.
The Strategy Group posted on X that it was paid $226,000 as a subcontractor for the advertising campaign to produce video and radio ads, a small portion of the total award.
Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said the ad campaign boosted Ms Noem's "name recognition" and that the contract "puts the president in a terribly awkward spot".
Ms Noem said she had no role in choosing the contractors. Later in the hearing, she said she did not know whether Mr Lewandowski had benefited financially, but would ask him.
In response to a request for comment, Mr Lewandowski said by email that he had not been paid as part of the ad contract.
"Not one penny," he said.
Ms Noem is scheduled to appear before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee tomorrow.
