House Democratic leaders have officially drawn a line in the sand regarding Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. On Tuesday, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined a growing chorus of lawmakers demanding her removal, telling President Donald Trump to fire her or face an impeachment battle in Congress.
Jeffries, along with House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and caucus chair Pete Aguilar, issued a joint statement making their stance clear. They cited the recent violence involving federal agents as the breaking point.
READ: Texas Gov. Abbott Orders Halt To Foreign Worker Visas For State Agencies, Public Universities
“Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives,” Jeffries said. He added a blunt warning for the administration: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
The intense pressure follows two separate fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis this past January. The deaths sparked outrage across the Democratic party, uniting both moderate members and the far-left wing in a call for Noem’s ouster.
While the leadership team is just now stepping in, the movement to impeach Noem has been building for weeks. Illinois Representative Robin Kelly first introduced articles of impeachment on January 14. On Monday, Kelly revealed that 146 Democrats have now co-sponsored the measure. That number represents more than two-thirds of the House Democratic caucus.
READ: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Targets Local Failures In High-Stakes Hearing On California Wildfires
Kelly, who is currently running in a three-way primary for the Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin, has the power to force a vote on the issue as soon as the House returns to Washington next week. She has not yet said if she plans to pull that trigger.
Despite the strong words from Jeffries, actually removing Noem remains a long shot. Republicans currently control the House, giving them the power to block the process. Jeffries acknowledged this reality back in December, admitting that Republicans would likely never allow impeachment articles to reach the floor for a vote.
The White House is not backing down. On Tuesday, President Trump defended his DHS Secretary, telling reporters, “I think she’s doing a very good job.”
READ: Judge Blocks Virginia Map Redraw, Dealing Blow To Democrats’ House Hopes
The Department of Homeland Security also pushed back against the Democrats’ statement. A spokesperson for the department argued that politicians should focus on supporting law enforcement rather than attacking them. The spokesperson cited a 1,300% spike in assaults on ICE officers and blamed the previous administration for the current situation at the border.
The showdown is expected to heat up in early March, when Noem is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
