U.S. Rep. Max Miller joined Ideastream Public Media's "Sound of Ideas" Thursday to discuss recent tactics used by federal immigration agents.
The deaths of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis this month have caused nationwide outrage, sparking protests and plans for a national boycott Friday.
Miller has called for an investigation into the two killings. The Rocky River Republican questioned rhetoric on both sides of the political aisle and said what the public sees and hears isn't the entire picture.
"A majority of the optics we are seeing aren't coming out from the vast majority of where deportations are coming from, everything I see on national media. That's why I value local channels like this. It's exacerbated," Miller said on Thursday's "Sound of Ideas."
Hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants face losing their Temporary Protected Status designation next week if no additional court action is taken. With a significant Haitian population residing in Springfield, Ohio, city officials are preparing for ICE enforcement.
Miller said if ICE agents come to Ohio next week, he's confident it will be handled differently by Gov. Mike DeWine, who briefed Springfield City School District officials on contingency and safety measures last week, according to an internal email sent by Superintendent Robert Hill, indicating that enforcement could begin as soon as Feb. 4 and last at least one month, the Statehouse News Bureau reported.
"He (DeWine) is not there out enflaming with dangerous rhetoric across the country like so many people are on both sides of the aisle, so I have full trust and faith in Gov. DeWine to make sure if anything happens, if anything were to happen in the state of Ohio, it would not be like Minneapolis, Minnesota," Miller said.
Critics have pointed out contradictions in the Trump administration's justification of the killings, painting the victims as safety threats, despite bystander footage. Democrats have called for the impeachment and removal of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Miller condemned some members of the Trump administration who spoke out against Good and Pretti, adding that he believes a full investigation will reveal what happened.
"Someone needs to be accountable. At the end, once this investigation is completed, if ICE is the one or if an officer used excessive force and an individual is held responsible, then they should be held accountable," he said.
Miller called in to Thursday morning's "Sound of Ideas." That show will re-air at 9 p.m. on WKSU.
