In a scathing letter from Democratic lawmakers, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was chastised for unlawfully obstructing members of Congress from visiting detention centers used to house undocumented immigrants, and was reminded of one of her more controversial moments in recent years.
Signed off by Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Lou Correa (D-CA) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the letter condemns Noem for new policies enacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcements, an agency under DHS, that unlawfully restrict members of Congress from visiting ICE facilities, a violation, they say, of Congress’ constitutional oversight duties over the executive branch.
In the letter, the lawmakers went on to compare ICE’s policies under Noem’s leadership, which they dubbed a “blatant violation of federal law,” with her treatment of Cricket, a female German wirehaired pointer. Once Noem’s pet, Noem admitted to killing the dog last year when it was 14 months old due to its “aggressive personality” that didn’t bode well for its intended purpose of hunting pheasant.
“The Constitution and laws of the United States are not unruly dogs that you can take out back, kick, and shoot when they no longer serve your purpose,” the letter reads.
“ICE has no valid reason to deny members of Congress access to its facilities, including the ICE field offices that hold people for multiple days. If your Department is doing no wrong, then you should welcome the representatives of the American people into ICE facilities.”
The lawmakers go on to condemn Noem for what they call a “string of increasingly flagrant abuses of power,” including ICE arrests and deportations without due process, the dismantling of oversight offices such as the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, and the arrest of New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander at a federal immigration court last week.
“We will continue to show up on behalf of the American people and our Constitution, and we will not be turned away,” the letter reads. “The American people are watching. Follow the law.”