Marimar Martinez, the Chicago woman who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in October, is testifying Wednesday before the Homeland Security Committee in Washington.
It’s the first time Martinez is testifying before a congressional committee.
She first appeared before Congress at a Feb. 3 public forum organized in response to the deaths of two Minnesotans at the hands of federal immigration officers, telling lawmakers she wanted federal agents held accountable and to hear an apology. She also said she wanted President Donald Trump’s administration to acknowledge she is “not a domestic terrorist.”
Martinez’s appearance at Wednesday’s hearing came at the request of committee Democrats who had also requested White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and border czar Tom Homan appear.
The Homeland Security Committee hearing was called to discuss the impact of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown that has now lasted 67 days, the longest partial government shutdown in history. Senate Democrats have blocked DHS funding and are calling for reforms to tactics used by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies.
Martinez survived being shot five times by Border Patrol agent Charles Exum after a car carrying three CBP agents collided with her vehicle Oct. 4 near 39th Street and Kedzie Avenue.
In March, Martinez attended a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, standing five rows behind then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as Noem was pushed by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to acknowledge Martinez’s shooting was “wrong.”
Despite comprehensive coverage of Martinez’s shooting and charges of impeding law enforcement that were later dropped against her, Noem repeatedly claimed she didn’t know about the case.
“Sir, I don’t know the situation or the case,” Noem said. “I’ll look into it to ensure that all the procedures were followed properly.”
Noem was ousted from her post two days later. There were rumblings of dissatisfaction from Trump after two straight days of testimony by Noem before Senate and House committees.