Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 1/30/2026-2/6/2026
Amplifying the Stories of U.S. Citizens Victimized by DHS Agents
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, held a bicameral public forum to receive testimony on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The forum featured testimony from Brent and Luke Ganger, brothers of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, and Antonio Romanucci, the attorney representing their family; Marimar Martinez, Aliya Rahman, and Martin Daniel Rascon, all of whom were violently assaulted by DHS agents; and Seth Stoughton, a former police officer and Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
“I know that what happened to me in the matter of seconds on October 4 will unfortunately be with me for a lifetime. The physical scars will always be there,” Ms. Martinez said. “And perhaps even worse, the mental scars will always be there as a reminder of the time my own government attempted to execute me and when they failed at that, to vilify me. I know that by being a survivor it is my duty to be here today to let you elected officials know what is happening on the streets of our country because silence is no longer an option. This needs to stop now!”
Ms. Martinez’s written testimony is available here.
“I now cannot lift my arms normally. I was never asked for ID, never told I was under arrest, never read my rights, and never charged with a crime,” Ms. Rahman said. “Before I blacked out on the cell floor, my cell mate pleaded over and over to get me emergency medical care. A voice outside said ‘We don't want to step on ICE's toes.’ When I opened my eyes at Hennepin County’s emergency room, I learned I was brought there to be treated for assault.”
Blumenthal highlighted Rahman’s testimony on Twitter/X.
“Aliya Rahman was assaulted & violently dragged from her car by immigration agents—& then detained without access to medical care. Despite the severe physical & mental toll, she is unafraid to demand accountability,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
Ms. Rahman’s written testimony is available here.
“I will never forget the fear and having to quickly duck my head as the shots were fired at the passenger side of the car. Any one of those bullets could have killed me or two people that I love,” Mr. Rascon said.
Blumenthal highlighted Mr. Rascon’s testimony on Twitter/X.
“Immigration agents opened fire on Daniel Rascon & his family when their car was unlawfully stopped. While he carries the weight of this incident, his bravery serves as motivation for us all to demand change,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
Mr. Rascon’s written testimony is available here.
“Our family is a very American blend. We vote differently, and we rarely completely agree on the finer details of what it means to be a citizen of this country. We attend various churches and some, not at all. Despite those differences, we have always treated each other with love and respect,” said Luke Ganger. “We have gotten even closer during this very divided time in our country, and we hope that our family can be even a small example to others to not let political ideals divide us. To be Good, like Renee.”
“Renee is not gone from us—she’s in the light that finds us on hard days. She’s in the resilience we didn’t know we had until we needed it. She’s in the laughter, the memories, the love that continues to grow,” said Brent Ganger.
Blumenthal highlighted the Ganger brother’s testimony on Twitter/X.
“At my spotlight forum, Luke Ganger—brother of Renee Nicole Macklin Good—remembers his sister & honors her legacy,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
“Honoring his sister, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, Brent Ganger speaks at my spotlight forum on the excessive use of force by ICE agents,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
Luke and Brent Ganger’s written testimony is available here.
“I have handled excessive force cases across the country for decades. My colleagues and I are deeply distressed at these invasions onto fellow Americans’ civil rights by our own government that have gone well beyond the initial scope of removing criminals,” said Mr. Romanucci. “The occupation by ICE and CBP in our cities is way beyond their mission, leading to unnecessary provocation that causes needless harm and death.”
Mr. Romanucci’s written testimony is available here.
“The current administration’s approach to immigration enforcement falls far short of professional norms This is not policing. It is not normal. And it is not professionally acceptable,” said Mr. Stoughton.
Mr. Stoughton’s written testimony is available here.
Slamming the Violent Use of Force by DHS Agents
Blumenthal delivered an opening statement at this bicameral public forum featuring testimony on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by DHS agents.
“This hearing is extraordinary and unprecedented, but so is the inhumanity and brutality that we've seen from a government agency. With us today are brave Americans who have come forward to speak truth to power,” Blumenthal said. “That phrase is overused, but truly it applies today. With us in spirit are also Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti—in spirit, they should be here in person. But they were murdered. They were murdered by their own government.”
“The violence unleashed by the Trump Administration against our fellow citizens, can touch any American at any time, any one of you who are listening by livestream or C-SPAN or who are hearing and seeing this hearing,” Blumenthal said. “Whether you're going to a church clothing drive to make a donation, on your way to a doctor's appointment, or even heading home from dropping your six-year-old son off at school, real stories we will hear today. These stories, and far too many others, demand that every one of us stand up against the injustices and demand accountability.”
This event is the second public forum Blumenthal and Garcia have hosted as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents. In December, Blumenthal and Garcia received testimony from five U.S. citizens who were assaulted, detained, and denied their constitutional rights by agents of the DHS.
Video of Blumenthal’s opening statement is available here.
Blumenthal further highlighted the public forum on Twitter/X.
“Brave victims of DHS violence & rights violations seek accountability. They deserve legal redress & remedies against agents & leaders who violate their rights. Same recourse as victims have against state or local police if they break the law,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
“Powerful witnesses bear the scars—physical & emotional—of DHS & ICE lawless brutality. Their faces & voices add momentum to our demands for far reaching reform, a total overhaul of this out of control agency. Unless those demands are met, no more funding for DHS,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
Following the forum, Blumenthal spoke on the Senate Floor to discuss the testimony he received from the U.S. citizens victimized by DHS agents. In his remarks, Blumenthal highlighted the courage of the witnesses in coming forward to share their personal experiences with DHS agents’ brutality.
“What struck me is the absolutely stark contrast: the deep humanity of these Americans, their bravery and courage in coming forward with their stories, and the humanity that they showed us; as opposed to the inhumanity of the criminal, yes, criminal action, of these ICE and CBP agents, physically assaulting them, attempting to kill them, and, in fact, murdering Renee Good and Alex Pretti,” Blumenthal said.
“The courage of these witnesses was a profile in bravery and in eloquence. They were the voices and faces of those countless Americans who have suffered at the hands of their own government. Their stories are about brutality, lawlessness, and inhumanity. Their stories span the nation,” Blumenthal said. “And these stories are a national call to action.”
Video of Blumenthal’s remarks on the Senate Floor is available here.
Blumenthal joined MS NOW’s Jen Psaki to discuss his spotlight forum and the testimony of the U.S. citizens victimized by DHS agents’ violence and excessive use of force.
“What struck me is the bravery of these people who have been victimized and terrorized by their own government, people whose agents of the government have shot at them trying to execute them, and in one case, almost killing them,” said Blumenthal on MS NOW. “So we need to rein in this agency. And what struck me as well is how impactful and powerful their testimony was. I hope it will move my Republican colleagues to accede to the demands that we're making. My view is unless those demands are met, we should shut down DHS because this kind of lawlessness and brutality are spanning our country. Minneapolis is everywhere in America. We are all Minneapolis.”
Blumenthal’s full interview with MS NOW can be found here.
Blumenthal also joined CNN’s Jake Tapper to amplify the witness testimonies of his spotlight forum.
“This experience was one of the most moving and powerful of any I have seen in my 15 years in the United States senate. You know, we use the mantra, ‘Speak truth to power’ all too often. These witnesses truly summon the courage and strength to speak truth to power,” said Blumenthal on CNN.
Blumenthal’s full interview with CNN can be found here.
On the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Blumenthal issued a statement following the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) release of its National Veterans Suicide Prevention annual report, revealing a decrease in veteran suicides from 2022 to 2023. At a Committee oversight hearing last week, Blumenthal pressed VA Secretary Doug Collins for the release of this delayed report, which should have been published last year.
“Veterans suicide is one of our nation’s most serious problems. While we saw a decrease in the number of veterans losing to their life to suicide in 2023, more needs to be done. We must safeguard lifesaving resources like the Veterans Crisis Line, address the shortage of mental health professionals at VA, and ensure every single veteran seeking mental health care gets that care in a timely manner. I’ll continue working to reduce this grim number by bolstering the suicide prevention, mental health care, and support programs relied upon by veterans, and fighting against any effort to diminish the critical care they provide.”
VA’s report shows 6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023. Additionally, 61% of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had no contact with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and were not receiving VA benefits. The suicide rate among veterans in VHA care with mental health or substance use disorder diagnoses fell 34.7%. This data highlights the importance of both strengthening VA’s direct care system and expanding outreach and suicide prevention efforts for veterans who are not engaged in VHA health care.
Last month, Blumenthal’s released a comprehensive report, Breaking the Pact: Impacts of Trump, DOGE, and Doug Collins’ Ongoing Assault on Veterans, detailing the harm and impacts of the Trump Administration’s draconian directives and cuts on veterans. Among its many findings, the report revealed a historic loss of staff, dire health care staffing shortages, and spiking VA mental health care wait times. Based on these findings, Blumenthal has asked Secretary Collins for updated facility-by-facility data for wait times on mental health care access—noting that the public data shows nearly one-third of facilities have wait times for new patients exceeding 40 days.
Blumenthal along with U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Angus King (I-ME), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) are calling on the Department of Defense (DOD) to review and confirm the presence of radiation and toxic substances at the Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan so the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can deliver K2 veterans exposed to radiation long-overdue benefits.
“We write to request a review of the toxic substances present at the Karshi Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan. Nearly 16,000 service members deployed to K2 from 2001 to 2005. These service members have since developed serious health conditions. Yet, the federal government has not provided a consistent explanation of the hazards they encountered, which denies them the answers, care, and benefits they deserve,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The Senators continued, “VA’s ability to recognize radiation-related exposures…remains dependent on confirmation from the Department of Defense (DOD). Without an accurate accounting of the toxic substances found at K2 by the Department, VA is unable to ensure veterans who suffer from conditions related to radiation, jet fuels, asbestos, chemical agents, and other toxins receive the benefits they deserve.”
The Senators pointed to early reviews identifying toxic substances at K2, and a study from the Army Medical Department Journal identifying a connection between K2 deployment and certain rare cancers associated with radiation exposure. They requested DOD conduct a review of the toxic and radiological substances present at K2, and a review of the potential health effects of combined exposure to the contaminants found at K2.
The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here.
Blumenthal Bulletin
Blumenthal slammed ICE’s tremendous physical brutality and violence.
Blumenthal criticized Trump’s calls to nationalize elections and joined MS NOW to discuss this possible step towards totalitarianism.
Blumenthal reintroduced the Commission on Equity and Reconciliation in the Uniformed Services Act.
Blumenthal honored Jim and Pat Calhoun as Persons of the Year at the annual Central CT Celtic Cultural Committee Luncheon.
Blumenthal listened to student immigrant stories, “My Story, Our Future” sponsored by the India Cultural Center.
Blumenthal joined Voices of Hope International Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony in West Hartford’s Emanuel Synagogue.
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