The Wall Street Journal editorial board lauded the dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after a year of chaos and controversy at the department, grateful she is "finally" gone, and urged a "reboot" of the Trump administration's deportation policies.
"The Department of Homeland Security currently is operating in shutdown mode, without funding," wrote the board, referencing the standoff as Democrats demand reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Ms. Noem’s testimony before the Senate on Tuesday could have been a chance to put Democrats on the spot for refusing to fund DHS at a time of heightened threats, as Mr. Trump bombards the terrorist regime in Iran. Instead the headlines were about Ms. Noem’s floundering, including under hard questions from Republican Senators."
"Ms. Noem faced questions, and struggled to respond to them, about why she had initially defended the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by accusing them of domestic terrorism. She faced questions about what she described as 'aircraft being purchased that will be utilized for executive air travel and for deportations.' She faced questions about allegations, which she has denied, of a romantic affair with her aide Corey Lewandowski."
And perhaps most damning of all, she shifted the blame to Trump for a $220 million ad created by DHS that featured her prominently — which aside from being the likely ultimate catalyst for her firing, may have constituted perjury.
With Noem out, the board argued, Trump can at least put some marginally more capable people in charge, starting with his pick of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to take over the department.
"The empowering of border czar Tom Homan amid the Minneapolis mess was a good step for Mr. Trump, since Mr. Homan is a professional who talks about prioritizing public safety and conducting 'targeted' ICE enforcement against known illegal aliens in a humane fashion," wrote the board. "If Mr. Mullin is confirmed by the Senate, he can help the President by following the Homan approach and explaining it consistently without the political melodrama."
