Democrats Push for Impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team expressed their support for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. This move comes as nearly 150 House Democrats back an impeachment article originally announced by Rep. Robin Kelly from Illinois on January 14. Interestingly, this is the first time Jeffries has openly supported the impeachment effort. He emphasized that if President Trump does not take action to remove Noem, they will initiate proceedings in the House.

Jeffries’ comments seem to reference recent tragic incidents where federal immigration agents were involved in the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis. Many Democrats, ranging from moderates to progressives, have been outraged by Noem’s response to these events, calling for her immediate resignation.

“The violence inflicted upon the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must come to an end,” Jeffries stated alongside House Democratic Leader Katherine Clark and Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar. “Kristi Noem must be removed from her position without delay, or we will commence impeachment actions in the House.”

In a somewhat stern tone, Jeffries added, “You can do this the easy way or the hard way.” In December, he acknowledged that any impeachment attempt would likely fail when brought before the Republican-controlled House.

When asked about pursuing impeachment against high-ranking Trump officials linked to the Venezuelan regime’s boat strike operations, Jeffries expressed skepticism. “Republicans will never allow impeachment articles to reach the House floor, and we know that to be the case,” he remarked.

In a recent statement, Rep. Kelly revealed that 146 Democrats—over two-thirds of the House Democratic Caucus—support the impeachment articles against Noem. Although she has the power to initiate a vote on these articles once the House reconvenes next week, she has not yet disclosed her intentions.

It’s also noteworthy that Rep. Kelly is participating in a competitive primary election in March for a chance to succeed Senate Democratic Majority Leader Dick Durbin, who is set to retire.

President Trump, while speaking to reporters on Tuesday, defended Noem, asserting, “I think she’s doing a very good job.” Furthermore, Noem is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in early March.

A spokesperson for the DHS responded to Jeffries by highlighting the significant increase in assaults against ICE officers, stating, “ICE officers are facing a staggering 1,300% spike in assaults, yet too many politicians would rather side with criminals than support those enforcing our laws.”