Democrat appears to use AI-generated photo of Alex Pretti’s death during hearing

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, appeared to use an AI-generated photo of Alex Pretti’s death during an oversight hearing on Tuesday.

In the photo, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent doesn’t have a head.

The image was shown as Thompson criticized federal agents, as well as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, amid the hearing.

“Secretary Noem is a liar with no concern for the lives of Americans killed by the department she runs,” Thompson said. “She must go.”

Thompson made this comments as three DHS officials appeared before the House Homeland Security Committee amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. They incldued:

• Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• Rodney Scott, commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• Joseph Edlow, director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

The hearing came as another potential government shutdown looms. Democrats said they will not vote for a DHS spending bill when funding runs out unless there are “dramatic changes” at ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies in the wake of Pretti’s death, along with the deadly shooting of Renee Nicole Good, in Minneapolis last month.

Lyons, who is the acting director of ICE, said officers will not be dissuaded from their mission — even in the face of intimidation from the public.

“The family of ICE personnel have been made to feel unsafe in their homes,” he testified.

Lyons said even his own family has faced harassment. But he warned that those trying to intimidate ICE officers “will fail.”

“We are only getting started,” he said.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.