Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s response to the Minneapolis shootings that killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good has prompted a widening backlash in Congress and among political and advocacy voices, with both Democrats and some Republicans increasingly calling for her to step aside or face impeachment. The pressure has accelerated after Noem became the high-profile face of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement effort and after lawmakers and other critics said her remarks and leadership in the aftermath of the deaths damaged her standing.
In a joint statement, House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California said the country was “disgusted by what the Department of Homeland Security has done.” They added that “Kristi Noem should be fired immediately,” and said Democrats would “commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives” if she was not removed.
The push began as criticism of Noem’s handling of the operation but broadened into what Democrats described as an inflection point for her tenure. The dispute also centers on Noem’s account of the Minneapolis events, including her remarks characterizing the actions leading up to Renee Good’s shooting as “act of domestic terrorism” and describing Alex Pretti as having “attacked” officers, along with claims by critics that events on the ground disputed her description.
Some Republicans have joined the calls, reducing the space for Noem to rely solely on party-line backing. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said, “What she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,” while Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said, “I think the President needs to look at who he has in place as a secretary of Homeland Security,” adding, “It probably is time for her to step down.”
Noem’s supporters, including the White House, have pushed back. President Donald Trump defended her on Wednesday, indicating her job was not in immediate jeopardy. On Tuesday, when Trump was asked as he left the White House on a trip to Iowa whether Noem was going to step down, he replied with one word: “No.” Later, during an interview on Fox News, Trump said he had confidence in her, saying, “I do,” and he pointed to immigration enforcement outcomes, including saying, “Who closed up the border? She did,” with Tom Homan and “the whole group,” and adding that “they’ve closed up the border.”
Congressional scrutiny has also intensified. Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate committees that oversee Homeland Security demanded that department officials appear before their panels to answer for the Minneapolis operations, including accounts involving children being taken from families, according to the report. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the moment was “Obviously this is an inflection point and an opportunity to evaluate and to really assess the policies and procedures and how they are being implemented and put into practice,” while noting on confidence that “That’s the president’s judgment call to make.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called Noem a “liar” and said she must be fired, as Democrats increased pressure on Congress to act. The fight has also turned to funding, where Democrats are seeking to impose restrictions on Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations as part of a routine annual funding package for Homeland Security, Defense, Health and other departments, with a shutdown looming if no agreement emerges this week.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the department in a statement, saying DHS enforces laws from Congress and arguing that lawmakers who do not like those laws should change them. She said, “Too many politicians would rather defend criminals and attack the men and women who are enforcing our laws,” and added, “It’s time they focus on protecting the American people, the work this Department is doing every day under Secretary Noem’s leadership.”
Republicans’ internal response has also been mixed. The conservative House Freedom Caucus said Tuesday, in a letter to Trump, that he should invoke the Insurrection Act, if needed, to quell protests, adding that it would be “ready to take all steps necessary” to keep funds flowing for Trump’s immigration enforcement and removal operations.
The episode comes amid a broader shift in Capitol Hill tactics around impeachment. Two years ago, a Republican-led House impeached former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Senate dismissed the charges. Now, House Judiciary Committee top Democrat Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said Tuesday that if the Republican chairman of the panel, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, did not launch an impeachment probe, Raskin would pursue one, saying he would work with Democrats on the Homeland Security and Oversight committees to launch an impeachment inquiry related to the Minnesota deaths and other alleged misconduct, including “lawlessness and corruption that may involve treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Raskin said more than 160 House Democrats have signed on to an impeachment resolution from Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois, setting the stage for a confrontation between congressional oversight and the White House’s decision to stand by Noem. Sources in Congress have also indicated that the incoming hearings and budget fights could shape whether Noem faces escalating political consequences before the next deadline.