(Washington) US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testified before the Senate on Tuesday. It was his first appearance before Congress since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis sparked widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is implementing its mass deportation program.
Published at
Updated to
The appearance of Mme Noem’s appearance before the Judiciary Committee also comes after a weekend shooting at a Texas bar, under investigation as a potential terrorism act and raising concerns about the impact the escalating conflict in Iran could have on U.S. security.
His department’s actions on immigration have sparked a conflict in Congress over its funding, which remains unresolved.
Mme Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught in the raids and blamed activists for attacks on her agents. She also criticized Democrats for the confrontation over funding in Congress.
Mme Noem last appeared in Congress in December. Since then, President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda and its enforcement by the Department of Homeland Security have encountered fierce resistance in Minnesota, culminating in the deaths of two protesters, both U.S. citizens, at the hands of federal immigration agents.
In a move initially billed as an effort to stamp out fraud in Minnesota, the Department of Homeland Security ultimately sent hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents to the state.
They were met by protesters who held marches, patrolled neighborhoods to disrupt ICE operations and brought food to migrants too frightened to leave their homes.
Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 7, sparking strong protests from Minnesota politicians and residents. Then, on January 24, Customs and Border Protection agents opened fire on another state resident, Alex Pretti, who was filming the enforcement operations.
Mme Noem, whose first comments introduced Mme Good and Mr. Pretti as the attackers, was sharply criticized by Democrats and even by some Republicans, who called for his resignation.
After public outrage over the deaths, President Trump sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis to take control of operations on the ground.
Mr. Homan has since announced the withdrawal of ICE and CBP agents who had been sent to Minnesota, while asserting that the president’s mass deportation program would continue.
Mme Noem faced questions from Democrats, who say officers under her control abused their power, used excessive force and violated people’s constitutional rights in implementing the deportation program.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the committee’s top Democrat, questioned Mme Noem repeatedly addressed comments she made immediately following the deaths of the two ICE victims. He asked her to apologize.
“You and your agency are quick to label these victims as ‘domestic terrorists,’” Mr. Durbin recalled. We have plenty of video evidence and eyewitness testimony that proves you are wrong. Your statements have caused immeasurable pain to these families. »
Mme Noem claimed she relied on information provided by people at the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers faced.
The Department of Homeland Security has often blamed conflicts in cities like Minneapolis and Chicago, where it conducts immigration enforcement operations, on Democratic politicians who it says encourage people to oppose agents when they try to make arrests.
Mme Noem is also scheduled to appear before a House committee on Wednesday.
