Democrats: Shutdown or Not, Kristi Noem Must Testify on DHS Abuses of Power
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October 9, 2025 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, led Committee Democrats in sending a letter to Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) to demand he call Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem before the Committee – regardless of whether the government is shut down – to testify on the many abuses of power that have occurred at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under her leadership. She originally was invited to testify for a hearing scheduled for yesterday on threats to the homeland; however, she never confirmed her attendance, and the hearing was canceled by Chairman Garbarino. Instead of doing her job and testifying before Congress this week, Noem was in Portland with right-wing MAGA influencers, January 6 insurrectionists, and video production crews. “To date, the Secretary has been empowered to play politics with congressionally appropriated disaster relief and anti-terrorism grant funds, execute brutal immigration actions in cities and towns across America that have resulted in indiscriminately rounding up children and American citizens, and sic DHS law enforcement entities on administration critics. These actions—and others undertaken under the Secretary’s leadership—subvert the core tenets of our Constitutional Republic. She must be held accountable,” the Members wrote. “Since January 20, 2025, the Executive Branch has repeatedly acted beyond the limits of its constitutional authorities, running roughshod over a Republican Congress that either supports the administration’s actions or is too afraid to object to them,” the Members added. “Failure to direct the Secretary to appear before the Committee would be a continued abdication of congressional oversight obligations.” # # # |
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