Democrats demand Trump Fire Homeland Security Secretary Noem Amid Impeachment Threat
A growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers is demanding President Trump remove Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from office, escalating tensions following teh deaths of two U.S. citizens during federal immigration enforcement operations in minneapolis.
Top House Democrats issued an ultimatum Tuesday, informing President Trump they will initiate impeachment proceedings against Secretary Noem if she is not promptly dismissed. This decisive action follows the weekend killing of Alex Pretti, and builds on earlier calls for accountability stemming from the death of Renee good, both U.S. citizens fatally shot by federal agents during increasingly contentious immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota’s largest city.
“The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith. Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of representatives,” declared House Minority Leader hakeem Jeffries, alongside his deputies Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, in a joint statement. They added a stark warning: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
President Trump, however, publicly backed Secretary Noem earlier in the day, telling reporters at the White House, “I think she’s doing a very good job. The border is totally secure.” This stance sets the stage for a potential showdown between the executive and legislative branches.
the impeachment effort gained significant momentum with Representative Robin Kelly of Illinois introducing a resolution calling for Noem’s removal. The resolution cites “high crimes and misdemeanors” related to the handling of the Minneapolis operations and alleged obstruction of justice.
The circumstances surrounding alex Pretti’s death: “Alex Pretti wasn’t a terrorist.He was a VA nurse. When agents pushed a woman to the ground, he tried to help her up. His last words were ‘Are you okay?’ Enough. Kristi Noem should resign.”
Moderate Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who recently secured a narrow re-election victory despite Trump’s success in her state, was even more direct, labeling Secretary Noem “an abject failure.” In a statement, Rosen asserted, “She’s either to incompetent to rein in the agency under her purview, or she endorses the blatant constitutional violations being committed.” She concluded, “Kristi Noem and her department’s latest attempt to mislead the American public regarding the brutal and unjustified killing of Alex Pretti is deeply shameful, and she must be impeached and removed from office immediately.”
Secretary Noem is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3rd, a progress prompted by her previous refusal to appear before the committee. Ranking member Dick Durbin noted this delay, stating, “Secretary Noem refused to appear before the Senate judiciary committee last year and now tells us that she will be available in five weeks – should she still be DHS secretary at that time.”
Speculation regarding Secretary Noem’s position within the governance intensified Monday when President Trump announced that his “border czar,” Tom Homan, would assume control of the Minneapolis operation from Greg Bovino, a U.S. Border Patrol official reporting directly to the homeland security secretary.
Impeachment of cabinet secretaries remains a rare occurence in U.S. history.Prior to the house GOP’s impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024,the only other cabinet member to face impeachment proceedings was War Secretary William Belknap in 1876. Neither official was ultimately convicted by the Senate.
republicans have largely refrained from public criticism of Secretary Noem, though she maintains that federal agents involved in Pretti’s death “fired defensive shots” and accused the VA nurse of arriving “at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” Senator John Curtis of Utah, however, expressed disagreement with Secretary Noem’s initial response, stating on X that it was “premature” and “weakened confidence.” Senator Susan Collins of Maine, facing a potentially challenging re-election bid, has requested a pause in immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota and her home state for review and refinement.
The unfolding situation underscores the deep political divisions surrounding immigration enforcement and the escalating scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security’s actions. The coming weeks will be critical in determining Secretary Noem’s fate and the potential for a constitutional crisis.
