WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen is calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, saying she believes Noem is trying to “mislead the American public” about the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old protester in Minneapolis.
The call by Rosen, a Nevada moderate who was part of the group that helped Republicans end last year’s 43-day government shutdown, comes amid growing anger from congressional Democrats, who have also vowed to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security. A House resolution to launch impeachment proceedings against Noem has the support of more than 100 Democrats, but few Senate Democrats have so far acted.
“Kristi Noem has been an abject failure to lead the Department of Homeland Security over the past year — and the abuses of power we’re seeing from ICE are the latest evidence that she’s lost control of her own department and staff,” Rosen said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Rosen said Noem’s conduct was “deeply disgraceful” and that she “must be impeached and removed from office immediately.”
Impeachment proceedings are unlikely in the GOP-controlled Congress, but growing Democratic outrage over the violence on the streets of Minneapolis is sure to disrupt Senate Republican leaders’ hopes this week of quickly passing a sweeping spending bill and averting a partial government shutdown on Jan. 30.
And while some moderate Democrats have been cautious over the past year about criticizing the Trump administration on border and immigration issues, the fatal Minneapolis shootings of Alex Pretti on Saturday and Renee Good on Jan. 7 have transformed the debate, even among moderates like Rosen.
Noem defends the fatal shooting
The senator’s impeachment call followed Noem’s hasty defense, without a full investigation, of the fatal shooting of Pretti by a Border Patrol agent. Videos of the scene reviewed by The Associated Press appear to contradict the Trump administration’s claims that the shots were fired “defensively” against Pretti as he was “approaching” them with a gun. Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, but appears to be seen only holding a phone in the videos.
During the scuffle, agents discovered he was carrying a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and opened fire with multiple shots, including in the back. Officials have not said whether Pretti brandished the weapon.
Noem said Pretti appeared to “impede a law enforcement operation.”
“This appears to be a situation where an individual arrived on the scene to cause maximum harm to individuals and to kill law enforcement,” Noem said Sunday.
In her call for Noem’s dismissal, Rosen cited other issues beyond ICE’s current operations. She said Noem had also “breached the public trust by wasting millions of taxpayer dollars” on self-promotion and cited reports that the Coast Guard bought the two luxury jets worth $172 million.
Senate rage over ICE violence
Rosen’s statement follows that of Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, who is one of the most left-leaning members of the Democratic Senate. Markey said last week that Congress should begin impeachment proceedings against Noem, “who is right now orchestrating on the streets of our country this almost vigilante act of ICE agents terrorizing cities across the country.”
And while other senators have not called for Noem to be fired, several moderate Democrats who joined Rosen in voting to reopen the government last year said they would vote against funding Homeland Security this week, even if it meant a government shutdown.
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said DHS is “brutalizing law-abiding American citizens and immigrants.” Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said “we are not living in normal times.”
While administration officials immediately defended the shooting, several Republicans called for a thorough investigation, including Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
House Democrats are increasingly calling for Noem’s impeachment
Calls for Noem’s impeachment grew louder in the House as the Democratic caucus held a call with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, both former congressmen, according to a person familiar with the private call who requested anonymity to discuss it.
Most of the House Democrats who spoke during the meeting called for Noem’s impeachment, said another person familiar with the call who insisted on anonymity to discuss it.
New York Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat who was one of seven House Democrats who voted last week to defund the Department of Homeland Security, said Sunday that “there must be accountability, which is why Secretary Noem must be fired immediately.”
“She’s not focused on safety or border security; she’s focused on chaos and self-promotion, undermining local law enforcement and, as a result, fueling violence,” Gillen said in a post on X.
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AP correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.