Top House Democrats on Tuesday called on Donald Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem or face impeachment proceedings, following the weekend killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The ultimatum came after a majority of House Democrats signed articles of impeachment introduced earlier this month in response to the shooting death of Renee Good, another US citizen killed by federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.
Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar issued a joint statement saying, ‘The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith. Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings.’ Trump, however, backed Noem, telling reporters she was doing ‘a very good job’ and that the border was ‘totally secure’.
Two Republican senators also called for Noem’s resignation. Retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis said her conduct ‘should be disqualifying’, while Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said she ‘needs to be accountable for the chaos and tragedy we have seen’. Other Republicans suggested new guidelines or a review of Pretti’s killing instead.
The impeachment articles, introduced by Democratic Congresswoman Robin Kelly, have 162 co-sponsors among the 213 House Democrats, including those in safe and vulnerable seats. In the Senate, Democrats have vowed to block a funding measure for the Department of Homeland Security due to money for ICE, raising the possibility of a partial shutdown after Friday when current spending authorisations expire.
Democratic Senators John Fetterman and Elizabeth Warren joined calls for Noem’s removal, with Fetterman urging Trump not to repeat President Biden’s mistake of keeping a ‘grossly incompetent’ DHS secretary. Senator Jacky Rosen called Noem ‘an abject failure’ and demanded her impeachment. The Senate Judiciary Committee announced Noem will testify on 3 March, though its Democratic ranking member noted she had previously refused to appear.
