Former Trump Voter Breaks Down at Congressional Hearing, Calls Vote a “Terrible Mistake”
A former Donald Trump voter delivered an emotional public confession during a live congressional hearing this week, saying he felt “duped” and “stupid” for supporting the former president after his wife was detained by U.S. immigration authorities.
Jim Brown, a U.S. Navy combat veteran and part-time minister from Troy, Missouri, testified before Congress about the detention of his wife, Donna Brown, an Irish-born legal resident who has lived in the United States for nearly five decades. Brown’s testimony quickly went viral, drawing national attention to his case and broader concerns about immigration enforcement practices.
“I was an idiot,” Brown said when asked why he voted for Trump. “I was lied to. I regret my decision.”
A Veteran’s Family Caught in the System
Brown told lawmakers that his wife immigrated legally from Ireland at the age of 11 and has lived in the U.S. for 48 years. According to testimony presented at the hearing, Donna Brown has been held in an immigration detention facility in Kentucky for more than four months and is facing deportation.
Lawmakers stated that her only criminal record consists of two bad checks totaling $80, written more than a decade ago. Brown described harsh detention conditions, alleging that his wife was placed in solitary confinement for a week for possessing a cup of ramen noodles and subjected to unsanitary and degrading treatment.
“She is suffering,” Brown told lawmakers. “And she should not be there at all.”
Confrontation at the Hearing
During a House hearing, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) asked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to acknowledge Brown, who was seated behind her in the hearing room. Magaziner publicly detailed Brown’s military service and his wife’s detention, pressing Noem on why a veteran’s spouse with no serious criminal history remained incarcerated.
When asked to explain the detention, Noem said it was not her role to “pick and choose” which laws are enforced, though she agreed to review Donna Brown’s case after sustained questioning.
Broader Criticism of Immigration Enforcement
Magaziner said Brown’s story reflects a larger pattern under Trump-era immigration policies, arguing that enforcement has targeted nonviolent, long-term residents rather than focusing solely on serious criminals.
“The administration does not know how to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys,” Magaziner said. “We are seeing honest, hardworking people, veterans, and families torn apart.”
Brown echoed that concern, sharing stories of other detainees he said were held for months without hearings, including individuals seeking green cards or suffering from serious medical conditions.
A Public Reckoning
Brown’s emotional testimony — including his admission that he now regrets voting for Trump — resonated widely online. He said he felt compelled to speak out not only for his wife, but for others he believes are being unjustly detained.
“When your own state turns its back on you, it’s something else,” Brown said. “This system is hurting innocent people.”
Advocates say the case underscores the human cost of immigration enforcement and highlights the power of personal testimony in shaping public opinion. As Magaziner noted, “Storytelling matters. When the public sees what’s really happening, pressure for change follows.”
For Jim Brown, the hearing marked both a personal reckoning and a plea for accountability — one he hopes will lead to his wife’s release and reform of a system he says failed his family.
