A Democratic lawmaker Wednesday said that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was not likely to keep her job in the Trump administration.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) told MS NOW anchor Chris Jansing that concerns over Noem's leadership have put her in a tough position among lawmakers. Noem has been testifying before congressional leaders this week in Washington, D.C., where she has faced multiple calls to resign and heated confrontations with several leaders, including longtime Republicans, who expressed their frustration and disappointment with her leadership.
Lawmakers have been critical of Noem's response to disasters and accused her of suppressing FEMA disaster relief funding. They have also called for justice following the death of two American citizens in Minneapolis at the hands of federal law enforcement officers, citing aggressive tactics and unlawful activities under her leadership.
"I think the most important thing, Chris, is that DHS is led by somebody with zero accountability, that ICE and CBP are running wild, killing U.S. citizens, detaining U.S. citizens," Jayapal said. "That's what my question line was about. And locking up people who have committed absolutely no crime — 75% of people that have been detained and are being incarcerated in for-profit jails across the country have committed no crime. And Kristi Noem is a test of failed leadership. That's what I said. That's what I believe. And actually, I think that she does not have a long career here. Her corruption at the agency, combined with the lawlessness of these ICE and CBP agents on display for everyone to see, is going to bring her down."
This is the first time Noem has testified under oath with lawmakers since the deaths of two Minneapolis citizens.
"I think it's been overthe last month and a half or soas people have watched thecourageous people of Minnesotaand really seeing Noem, youknow, come out, call Renee Good and Alex Pretti domesticterrorists, refused to conductinvestigations until wedemanded it, and the people of Minnesota demanded it," Jayapal added. "And Ithink that trajectory hasbeen very bad. I mean, look,she's done something quiteremarkable, which is she hasturned 50% of the countryagainst ICE. There was a brandnew poll out saying that 50% ofpeople across this countrybelieve that ICE should nolonger exist. And I thinkthat's, you know, that's sortof a stunning place to be."
People in the U.S. feel misled by the Trump administration, Jayapal explained.
"ButI think what Americans areseeing is that... theythought that this was anadministration that was goingto go after the worst of theworst, and they happened toknow and see the people thatare being picked up in theirneighborhoods, in their cities," Jayapal added. "They see the militarization ofthe streets by the federalgovernment. They see childrenbeing detained and held incamps and separated from theirfamilies, and they don't like it. And so, once again, peopleare being reminded that we area nation of immigrants. We dovalue the immigrants that arein our country. We want a fixto the broken immigrationsystem. Legislatively, we donot want the government to goafter all of these people oncivil immigration offenses, andwe certainly don't want ourgovernment militarizing ourstreets, killing U.S. citizens,and detaining U.S. citizens."