Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) spoke with reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday following news that Kristi Noem has left her position as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The New Jersey Senator, who had previously called for Noem to step down or face impeachment, stated that her departure does not resolve deeper issues within the agency.
“She should be held to account for the corruption that she has shown with the contracting and the way they did business,” Booker said. He specifically pointed to what he described as the “violation of court orders” and the “violating the constitutional rights of Americans” during her tenure.
The Senator’s remarks come amid an ongoing government shutdown. Booker characterized the current state of the DHS as a “reckless organization” that has been “breaking into Americans’ homes” and “detaining American citizens,” including over 20 children. He argued that the agency has moved beyond its stated mission of targeting violent criminals and is instead “upending our communities.”
When asked about the potential nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to fill the vacancy, Booker shifted the focus from the individual leader to the systemic behavior of the department. While he acknowledged knowing Mullin for a significant amount of time, he emphasized that his support would depend on a commitment to ending “warrantless entrances of Americans’ homes” and ensuring agents are “clearly identified.”
“It is not about the head of this agency; it is about what the agency is doing in our communities,” Booker noted. He added that it was “hard for me to imagine somebody being as bad as she was,” referring to Noem’s leadership, which he labeled as “complete incompetence.”
Addressing the possibility of legal or congressional consequences for the former Secretary, Booker maintained that “nobody is above the law.” He cited instances where the agency allegedly ignored court orders to halt certain deportations. Booker concluded that Noem must face responsibility for any “violations of our law or constitution” that occurred while she was in her position.
The Senator stated he would not support further funding for the agency until these operational concerns are addressed, regardless of who is chosen to lead it next.
READ: Trump Taps Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin To Replace Kristi Noem At DHS
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