The leaders of the House Democratic caucus vowed on Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if President Donald Trump does not fire her, citing a “DHS killing spree unleashed in Minnesota.”
The threat comes as Noem faces heightened scrutiny over her response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, the second killing by federal immigration agents in the city this month.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) in a joint statement called for “dramatic changes” at DHS and criminal prosecution of federal agents who have broken the law.
“Taxpayer dollars are being weaponized by the Trump administration to kill American citizens, brutalize communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families,” the leaders wrote. “The country is disgusted by what the Department of Homeland Security has done.”
More than 140 House Democrats have signed on to an impeachment resolution against Noem, who is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in March. GOP lawmakers and influential MAGA commentators have also publicly rebuked the Homeland Security secretary in recent days, saying her department’s aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota has overstepped.
“If Democrats cared this much about deporting violent, criminal illegal aliens, the American people would be much safer,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in response to the statement. DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration signaled a possible shift in strategy on Monday, with the president sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis and announcing that Homan “will report directly to me.” The White House also pulled Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, a close ally of Noem’s whose response to the shooting also drew backlash, from his assignment in the city.
Still, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Noem retains “the utmost confidence and trust of the president of the United States,” and Trump told reporters Tuesday that “she’s done a very good job” and will not step down.
The Democratic leaders wrote in their statement that “the violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith,” adding: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
