During a House Appropriations Committee Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing, Congressman Tony Gonzales questioned Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons about ongoing repatriation efforts at Fort Bliss and Biggs Airfield base in El Paso. The discussion focused on staffing concerns and the role of Homeland Security Task Forces.
Congressman Gonzales highlighted his visits to Fort Bliss, noting the challenges faced due to limited civilian coordinators. “When you have three people sharing a shift, that makes it difficult,” he said. He asked how ICE ensures adequate staffing at bases assisting with repatriation flights.
Acting Director Lyons responded by emphasizing the collaboration with the Department of Defense, particularly at Fort Bliss. “Biggs Airfield is a key part of that partnership,” he stated. Lyons underscored the importance of recruiting civilian contractors for medical care, housing, food, and processing tasks to facilitate swift operations. “We detain in order to remove,” he added.
Gonzales inquired about the number of ICE flights from Fort Bliss and successful removals of illegal aliens. Lyons promised to provide exact figures later but mentioned daily removal flights are conducted nationwide. He stressed avoiding detention bottlenecks and ensuring humane returns for individuals with deportation orders.
The congressman expressed appreciation for ICE’s partnership with the Department of Defense and reiterated support for task forces led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Task forces work—especially HSI-led ones—and ICE plays a big role in them,” Gonzales noted while discussing budget evaluations.
Lyons affirmed the significance of task forces in securing the homeland under an executive order deploying them across states to tackle border-related issues and public safety threats. “Task forces are key to eradicating transnational gangs and terrorist organizations operating within borders,” he explained.
Gonzales referenced testimony from Secretary Noem regarding over 600,000 convicted criminal aliens loose in the country, highlighting ICE’s crucial role in addressing this issue.
