Kristi Noem Grilled by Senators on DHS Policies and Conduct

WASHINGTON (Azat TV) – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced intense scrutiny from a bipartisan group of senators during a contentious Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The hearing delved into a wide range of controversial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies and actions, including the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota, alleged constitutional violations in immigration enforcement, and questionable departmental spending, all amidst a partial government shutdown impacting DHS operations.

Noem’s testimony highlighted deep divisions within Congress regarding the Trump administration’s approach to immigration, with Democrats and some Republicans sharply criticizing her leadership. Senators pressed her on specific incidents, her public statements, and the operational integrity of agencies under her command.

Noem Confronts Senators on Enforcement and Fatal Shootings

A central point of contention revolved around the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Senator Peter Welch, D-Vermont, directly asked Noem if she would apologize to the families for previously characterizing the individuals as engaged in domestic terrorism. Noem refused to issue an apology, stating she offered her condolences and was working with information from field agents, a response Welch deemed ‘not an apology.’ Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, also challenged Noem’s immediate post-shooting claim that Pretti had ‘brandished’ a firearm, noting video evidence showed the gun was taken from him before he was fatally shot from behind. Noem maintained she was relying on initial field reports, despite later testimony from ICE and Border Patrol leaders indicating they did not report Pretti as a domestic terrorist.

Senators also brought forward other cases of U.S. citizens allegedly arrested or harmed by immigration authorities. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, highlighted the case of Marimar Martinez, who was shot five times by a federal immigration agent in Chicago, and Fernando Gomez Ruiz, a citizen allegedly denied diabetes medication during an ICE arrest. Noem stated she would ‘look into’ these specific incidents, acknowledging that Martinez’s shooting, as portrayed by Blumenthal, ‘appears to be’ wrong.

DHS Funding Impasse and Departmental Operations Under Fire

The hearing also touched upon the ongoing partial DHS shutdown, which Noem described as ‘reckless and unnecessary,’ causing hardship for department employees working without pay or on furlough. She warned that the lapse was damaging families and undermining national security functions, including cybersecurity and counter-weapons of mass destruction training. Despite the critical impact on her department, the funding dispute itself was not the primary focus of the senators’ questioning.

Noem also defended the DHS’s acquisition of multiple ‘luxury jets,’ which have reportedly raised internal administration concerns. She claimed the purchases would save taxpayers ‘hundreds of millions of dollars’ and that the aircraft would be used for executive air travel and deportations, dismissing concerns about a plane reportedly having a bedroom, stating it was being refurbished without one. Additionally, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, accused Noem and the DHS of lying in federal court regarding attempts to deport 600 children to Guatemala, a claim Noem attributed to an ‘activist judge’ blocking reunification efforts.

In a heated exchange with Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, Noem defended the department’s counterdrug efforts, claiming DHS saved ‘1.7 billion lives’ last year by interdicting drugs. This figure was widely criticized as a vast overstatement, given the U.S. population is roughly 341.8 million. She later clarified the figure referred to ‘1.7 billion lethal doses’ of drugs.

Constitutional Challenges and Calls for Noem’s Removal

Several senators questioned the legality and ethics of DHS enforcement tactics. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, accused the department of ‘trampling’ on constitutional rights and operating without a ‘moral compass,’ citing federal judges who found DHS had violated court orders hundreds of times. Durbin specifically mentioned 200 violations in Minnesota and 50 in New Jersey. Noem maintained that her department complies with federal court orders.

The use of administrative warrants, signed by ICE officials rather than judges, to enter homes also came under fire. While Noem stated these were used only 28 times out of 400,000 cases and were legally granted by Congress, critics, including constitutional scholars and a federal judge, argue they violate the Fourth Amendment’s requirement for judicial approval for searches and arrests. Noem affirmed the department would ‘continue using this tool.’

Concerns were also raised about the potential deployment of ICE agents to polling places for the November 2026 midterm elections, an idea advocated by former Trump advisor Steve Bannon. Noem denied any such plans, stating, ‘There are no plans to have ICE officers at our polling locations.’

The criticism of Noem’s leadership extended to her own party, with two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, publicly calling for her removal. Senator Tillis described the situation under Noem’s leadership as a ‘disaster,’ citing instances of innocent American citizens being detained and a pursuit of ‘quantity over quality’ in immigration arrests. Despite the bipartisan calls for her resignation, President Donald Trump has publicly supported Noem, stating, ‘I think she’s doing a very good job.’

The extensive scrutiny Noem faced, particularly the bipartisan criticism and calls for her removal, underscores the significant political pressure on the Department of Homeland Security and the deep divisions over its enforcement strategies, signaling ongoing challenges for the administration’s immigration agenda.