Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) has demanded that the House Judiciary Committee launch a complete investigation into Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s “unlawful and potentially impeachable actions.”
During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Thursday, Ramirez accused Noem of misusing resources appropriated by Congress, engaging in unethical behavior, making repeated false statements to lawmakers and the press, and undermining the separation of powers while disregarding Congress and the courts. “Bottom line: you LIE, you act with impunity, you reject checks and balances, and you ignore Congress and the Courts,” Ramirez stated.
Ramirez warned that Noem’s options are limited—resignation, being fired by President Trump, or impeachment—and urged her to reconsider stepping down as she has initiated “the first steps” toward impeaching Noem. She pressed House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) to conduct a thorough probe into the secretary’s lawlessness.
A spokesman for Jordan labeled Ramirez’s letter “the most ridiculous and toothless correspondence ever written.”
Under President Trump’s administration, federal immigration enforcement efforts have intensified significantly. Noem oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), agencies responsible for implementing the administration’s hardline immigration strategy, which includes escalated arrests and deportations.
Noem has defended these measures in high-profile congressional hearings, arguing that illegal aliens pose a threat and strict enforcement is necessary. Her leadership has accelerated deportation processes through expanded expedited removal, new tracking technologies, and outreach programs designed to encourage voluntary departure. These actions aim to speed up deportations while reducing reliance on lengthy court proceedings.
Noem has faced criticism and lawsuits over deportation tactics, including cases where veterans and U.S. citizens were detained in raids and access to legal support for immigrants during removal proceedings was blocked.
