House Dems Grill Noem Over Misconduct Allegations

At a heated House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Democrats grilled Homeland Security Kristi Noem over alleged corruption at DHS, fatal shootings of two US citizens by immigration officers in Minneapolis, and the detention of American citizens. But unlike at Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Republicans were united in their defense of Noem and didn't ask sharp questions, Politico reports.

• Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin accused Noem of blocking Minnesota investigators from the Minneapolis crime scenes and questioned Noem's earlier decision to brand the slain citizens "domestic terrorists." "There have been three homicides in Minneapolis in 2026. Your agents committed two of them," Raskin said. "Rather than work with state and local authorities to solve these homicides, you barred Minnesota's investigators from the crime scene," he said, adding that it "smells like a cover-up."

• Other Democrats pressed her on a $143 million DHS ad contract awarded to a firm with political ties in South Dakota. "I think there's gonna be accountability" about the campaign, Rep. Joe Neguse told Noem. "You want the American people to believe that this is all above board?" Neguse asked "That $143 million of taxpayer money just happened to go to this one company that doesn't have a headquarters, doesn't have a website, has never done work for the federal government before, and is registered, apparently, or attached to a residence from a political operative."
• Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal produced four US citizens she said were detained during protests, contradicting Noem's earlier denials; none had been charged with a crime, she said.
• Democratic Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked Noem if she had had "sexual relations" with top adviser Corey Lewandowski, CBS News reports. Noem dismissed the question as "tabloid garbage" and described Lewandowski as a "special government employee." Kamlager-Dove went on to ask Noem why she had made Lewandowski her "de facto chief of staff." "So does Corey Lewandowski have national security experience, military experience, law enforcement experience? No," she said. "He is a lobbyist, a failed campaign manager, which is causing my constituents who are waiting for their FEMA dollars and me to wonder what are his qualifications for this job."

• Noem, who stayed mostly unflappable, pushed back by accusing Democrats of caring more about undocumented immigrants than crime victims, and Republicans repeatedly stepped in to shield her.
• When Democrats raised questions about her living arrangements in a Coast Guard residence and the use of "luxury" aircraft, Rep. Darrell Issa dismissed the criticism and offered Noem time to respond. Committee Chair Jim Jordan intervened to support her use of administrative warrants for home entries, insisting, "It is the law," as he cut off Democratic questioning.
• Democratic Rep. Becca Balint accused Noem of thinking she is "immune from accountability," CBS reports. She said the day will come when Trump is no longer president. "And when that day comes, we will still be here," Balint said. "And we will still be seeking accountability. And in hearings like this, we are going to continue to prove your guilt."