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A top Republican lawmaker who has recently had public clashes with President Trump has announced an inquiry into the practices of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina (who is not seeking reelection in 2026) has increasingly broken with former President Donald Trump on a range of high-profile issues, further widening the public rift between the two. Tillis has positioned himself as a skeptic of Trump’s agenda at times, including his opposition to Trump’s push for the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, which ultimately contributed to Trump signaling interest in supporting a primary challenger before Tillis decided not to run again. More recently, Tillis has taken the unusual step for a Republican to vow to block any of Trump’s Federal Reserve nominees unless the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Jerome Powell is fully resolved (a stance he frames as necessary to protect the Fed’s independence).

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Senator Tillis has launched an official probe into the practices of ICE, focusing on enforcement operations in North Carolina and Minneapolis. In a four-page letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Tillis demanded detailed data on ICE’s field interactions, including those involving US citizens, and called attention to alleged incidents of excessive force, wrongful detentions, and property damage.

“The operation resulted in the apprehension of several criminal illegal aliens with extensive criminal records, an outcome I applaud,” Tillis wrote. “At the same time, multiple public reports allege that U.S. citizens were detained, subject to force, and experienced damage to personal property. I seek clarification as to whether these reports are merely disingenuous accounts from partisans who do not share our commitment to a secure border, or if they reflect substantiated incidents.”

Tillis also expressed similar concerns about DHS actions in Minneapolis, noting reports of US citizens being detained, use of force, reliance on administrative warrants, and questionable legal justification for engagements.

The letter outlines ten specific areas of inquiry, including encounter-level data production, interagency coordination, constitutional compliance training, use-of-force protocols, and damage claims. Tillis has requested written responses by March 2, ahead of Secretary Noem’s scheduled testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3.

As of now, there’s been no comment by DHS.