WASHINGTON — In a shocking moment, Rep. Julie Johnson appeared to accuse Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers of carrying out “terroristic attacks within the US” during a congressional hearing.

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During a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on the partial shutdown, Johnson (D-Texas) attempted to pin the blame for the DHS funding lapse on Republicans and lamented the federal employees who have been forced to work without pay. 

“Agencies should never be held hostage to justify the rogue terroristic attacks that these agents are doing upon the citizens … of this country,” Johnson declared. “And I’m sorry Republicans are holding you hostage.”

“But what is happening should never be allowed to happen in this country. And we’re going to hold the line until we can make some serious corrections to what ICE is doing.”

Johnson didn’t specify what actions she believes ICE has taken that amount to terrorist attacks on the US. Democrats have long assailed the agency over viral footage showing agents using heavy-handed tactics to detain illegal immigrants and push back against protesters. 

Earlier in the hearing, for example, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) played a video montage of ICE agents pepper-spraying an individual who had been pinned down on the pavement and bludgeoning people. 

Democrats have also fumed over the deaths earlier this year of Renee Good, who accelerated her vehicle in the direction of an officer, and Alex Pretti, who had been pinned down when he was shot. The Trump administration has since wound down Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, where those flashpoint incidents took place.

Senate Democrats have leveraged the 60-vote filibuster to block funding for DHS while demanding sweeping reforms to ICE, including restrictions on the ability of agents to wear masks and a tighter judicial warrant system — both of which Republicans have rejected. 

Johnson’s stunning remarks drew a rebuke from the next Republican in line to speak, Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), an Army veteran who fought in the War on Terror.

“Wow. I can’t believe my ears,” he exclaimed. “I spent 12 years in the US Army, deployed overseas as part of the global war on terror. Another ten years in law enforcement. I literally just heard my colleague across the aisle saying ICE is committing terrorist attacks.”

“I don’t think you can get a clear example of where folks stand, when my colleagues on the other side of the aisle compare federal law enforcement to terrorists at a time where we have literal terrorists that I deployed to fight committing attacks in the homeland,” he raged. 

“That’s incredibly disappointing to me.”

During the hearing, lawmakers heard from leadership in the Transportation Security Administration, Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — DHS agencies that have been significantly impacted by the DHS funding lapse. 

The partial shutdown hit its 39th day on Wednesday and is now the second-longest one in US history after the full-fledged 43-day government shutdown last fall.

Trump commended ICE, whose agents he has deployed to airports across the country to ease the strain on TSA, which has faced growing call-outs and resignations that have led to long wait lines at security checkpoints. 

“I am so proud of our ICE Patriots!” he posted on Truth Social on Wednesday. “They were unfairly maligned by the Lunatic Democrats for years, and now, at the Airports, in addition to what they are supposed to be doing, they are helping people with bags, even picking up and cleaning areas. They are so proud to be there! The fact is, they shouldn’t have to do this, but they are rehabbing a fake image given to them by Radical Left Democrat politicians.”