Representative Delia Ramirez, an Illinois Democrat, demanded on Thursday that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem either resign or face impeachment.
The congresswoman requested that House Judiciary chairman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, carry out an investigation into Noem’s leadership of DHS, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agencies spearheading the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy.
“Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has done irreversible harm to our constituents, trampling the rights of all people and disregarding the rule of law,” Ramirez wrote to lawmakers in a letter.
Ramirez accused Noem of misleading Congress and the public, misusing congressionally appropriated resources, and disregarding court orders and legislative oversight. She pointed to reports that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by immigration agents, contradicting Noem’s claims that enforcement targets only those in the country illegally.
Her request seeks a full inquiry into whether Noem made false statements to Congress, mishandled departmental resources, or violated constitutional limits on executive authority.
“Your options are limited. You either resign, Trump fires you, or you will be impeached,” Ramirez said at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Thursday.
A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek on Friday morning, “As a self-proclaimed ‘Guatemala first’ politician, we are not shocked that Rep Ramirez is more focused on showmanship than actual policy work including hours before a hearing. We hope she would get serious about doing her job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem.”
Ramirez’s ultimatum for the DHS secretary illustrates the deep divisions over immigration policy and executive accountability in Washington, D.C. While impeachment is rare and difficult to achieve, especially against a Cabinet official under a president’s own party control, such actions can amplify political pressure and shape public narratives heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
Rumors have swirled about Noem being replaced, fueling speculation about her future at DHS amid growing scrutiny of her handling of immigration enforcement. While some reports suggest potential leadership changes, White House officials and President Donald Trump have publicly dismissed these rumors, reaffirming their support for Noem.
Trump publicly backed Noem, and with Republicans controlling the House, the chances of impeachment proceedings advancing are widely viewed as slim.
Meanwhile, articles of impeachment have already been filed against Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. by other House Democrats.
What To Know
Noem has defended her department’s actions and immigration enforcement strategy, saying that DHS is enforcing federal law and that operations are conducted appropriately. At the Homeland Security Committee hearing, she reiterated support for tougher border security as well as interior enforcement measures and rejected accusations of wrongdoing.
Democrats at the hearing criticized Noem’s leadership and immigration policies, with some also calling for her resignation. During the hearing, the proceedings were interrupted by protestors.
Republicans, including Jordan’s office, dismissed Ramirez’s letter as unlikely to lead anywhere, with a spokesman calling it “toothless.”
DHS, along with its agencies ICE and CBP, have faced a flurry of pushback over the detention of nonviolent immigrants with minor criminal histories.
During the congressional hearing on Thursday, Representative Seth Magaziner, a Rhode Island Democrat, questioned Noem about the detention of Donna Hughes Brown, a green card holder held by ICE in Kentucky since July, after being arrested in Chicago over a bad check from more than a decade ago. Hughes Brown is married to Jim Brown—a Navy combat veteran who served in the Gulf War.
“Now what possible explanation can there be for locking up his wife for four months when she has committed no crime other than writing a couple of bad checks for $80?” Magaziner asked.
Noem said it’s not “my prerogative, my latitude or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced” before committing to reviewing the cases of Hughes Brown and others that the congressman mentioned like the combat veteran who appeared via video call at Thursday’s hearing after being deported to South Korea earlier this year.
Representative Delia Ramirez, an Illinois Democrat, said at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Thursday: “Secretary Noem, you have misused resources appropriated by Congress and engaged in unethical behavior. You have repeatedly made false and misleading statements to Congress and to the press. And you have undermined the separation of powers and disregarded the role of Congress and the Courts. Bottom line: you LIE, act with impunity, reject checks and balances, and ignore Congress and the Courts.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said at a hearing on Thursday: “Under President Trump’s leadership, DHS is securing our borders, we’re restoring the rule of law, and we’re protecting the homeland. We have sent a strong message to criminal illegal aliens that we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you.”
She also said at the hearing: “Truthfully, I consider your asking me to resign an endorsement of my work.”
Ranking member Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said at the hearing: “Never in the history of the committee has a secretary of Homeland Security hidden from congressional oversight like you and your department have, Secretary Noem.”
House Homeland Security Chair Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican, said at the hearing: “The border is secure, the flow of drugs is slowing, and violent criminals are being taken off the streets. America is once again a symbol of global strength.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday: “I read a story recently that I’m unhappy with Kristi — I’m so happy with her…We have a border that’s the best border in the history of our country. Why would I be unhappy? She’s fantastic, actually.”
