Sen. Thom Tillis on Wednesday announced a probe into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices amid a debate in Congress over the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill.

Tillis, who is not seeking reelection, has been both a supporter and critic of the agency's handling of President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, which The Hill obtained, Tillis demanded written responses from Noem addressing reports of detaining U.S. citizens and ICE using excessive force.

"Interior enforcement carried out by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must be effective, disciplined, and fully compliant with constitutional and statutory limits," he insisted. "While these agencies have historically met that standard, recent operations raise serious questions that require direct oversight."

Tillis set a March 2 deadline for Noem to response to his request.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.