House Democrats are increasingly taking aim at Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem as they criticize the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies during a Thursday hearing, where lawmakers called for her impeachment and resignation multiple times.
Noem testified before the House Homeland Security Committee about worldwide threats facing the nation. Democrats took the opportunity to chastise the Cabinet secretary for leading the Department of Homeland Security in carrying out the president’s mass deportation agenda.
During her line of questioning, Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) alleged that Noem misused resources appropriated by Congress, engaged in unethical behavior, made false and misleading statements to Congress, and evaded congressional oversight. The congresswoman cited these reasons to justify why Noem should exit office, either willingly or involuntarily.
“Your options are limited. Either you’re going to resign, Trump’s going to fire you, or you will be impeached,” Ramirez said, noting she already handed a resignation request to Noem months ago.
The Illinois Democrat took her pressure on Noem one step further by asking the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment investigation into the DHS chief.
“I urge you to reconsider resignation because I’ve taken the first step towards your impeachment and I’ve called on the Judiciary Committee to open an investigation into your lawlessness,” she added before entering her Thursday letter into the congressional record.
When asked by Ramirez if she would be able to commit to a meeting, Noem answered that she would. The congresswoman requested a meeting with her in October to demand answers amid the DHS immigration operation in Chicago.
At the start of the hearing, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) called for Noem’s resignation in a fiery statement.
“You have systematically dismantled the Department of Homeland Security, put your own interests above the department, and violated the law. You are making America less safe,” the committee’s ranking member said. “So, rather than sitting here and wasting your time and ours with more corruption, lies, and lawlessness, I call on you to resign. Do a real service to the country and just resign. That is, if President Trump doesn’t fire you first.”
Contrary to Ramirez and Thompson’s suggestion, it’s unlikely President Donald Trump will fire Noem or ask her to resign after he publicly defended her.
“I read a story recently, I’m unhappy with Kristi. I’m so happy with her,” Trump said of the secretary on Wednesday. “We have a border that’s the best border in the history of our country. Why would I be unhappy? She’s fantastic, actually. No, we have a fantastic Cabinet.”
For months, Noem has repeatedly resisted the push from Democrats to resign. She again rebuffed the resignation calls during the hearing, telling Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) that she views the pushback as an “endorsement of my work.”
NOEM REBUTS DEMOCRAT WHO CALLED NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING ‘UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT’
Other Cabinet officials have also come under fire from Democrats. Thanedar and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) recently filed articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., respectively.
Noem faced heckling from anti-deportation protesters as the hearing got underway. One protester shouted, “Stop ICE raids. The power of Christ compels you. End deportations.” The person was promptly escorted out of the room by Capitol Police.
