Democrats Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Robert Garcia held hearings on Tuesday without a single Republican present to hear testimony from five people who suffered from violent encounters with federal agents in Minneapolis, Chicago, and San Bernardino.
Marimar Martinez was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago.
Martinez was delivering clothes to a church when her vehicle was rammed and she was shot repeatedly. The agent who shot her, Charles Exum sent images to colleagues of her laying wounded in a hospital as “trophy” pictures.
She was accused of assaulting a federal agent but the charges were later dismissed.
Aliya Rahman, who suffers from autism and a traumatic brain injury, described how ICE agents violently pulled her from her vehicle as she was on her way to a medical appointment in Minneapolis.
She recounted that she was never asked for her ID and was never told she was under arrest or charged with a crime. She was transported to a detention center where agents were referring to detainees as “bodies,” and laughed at her.
Martin Daniel Rascon, a U.S. citizen, described his encounter with family members in San Bernardino, California.
ICE and border patrol agents opened fire on the car he was traveling in with family members last August.
Luke and Brent Ganger, two brothers of Renee Good, also testified about their sister’s traumatic death.