A growing number of Democrats are demanding the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after one of her ICE agents shot and killed an American mom.
Illinois Democrat Robin Kelly filed articles of impeachment accusing Noem of obstructing Congress, compromising public safety and violating Americans’ due process as well as abusing her office for personal benefit.
“Secretary Noem wreaked havoc in the Chicagoland area, and now, her rogue ICE agents have unleashed that same destruction in Minneapolis, fatally shooting Renee Nicole Good,” said Kelly.
The effort has already picked up traction from other members of her party on Capitol Hill.
Oregon Rep. Maxine Dexter, Washington Rep. Emily Randall and Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansar announced they would be cosponsors. California Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove also called for Noem to be impeached.
On Friday, Illinois Rep. Brad Schneider, chair of the moderate New Democrat Coalition, demanded Noem must resign or be removed.
“I am prepared to support congressional action, up to and including impeachment, to ensure accountability and reaffirm that no one is above the law,” Schneider said in a statement.
Kelly warned that across the country, Noem is violating the U.S. Constitution while “ruining and ending lives.”
On Wednesday, Noem held a press conference after Good was killed by ICE in Minneapolis and accused the 37-year-old mother of committing an act of “domestic terrorism” when she was fatally shot.
Horrific video from the scene showed a masked officer yelling at Good to get out of her vehicle and yanking her door. The SUV reversed before pulling forward as an officer fired three shots.
The government is claiming the shooting was self-defense and Good tried to hit the agent. Witnesses dispute that and video indicates she was attempting to pull away.
Minnesota Public Radio reported Good had just dropped off her six-year-old son at school and was driving home when she stopped at the ICE protest on Wednesday.
Democrats’ efforts to impeach Noem have no chance of moving forward in the Republican-controlled House, but that could change should Democrats retake the majority in the midterms.
Appearing on CNN on Friday, Kelly pushed back that the effort won’t go anywhere with Republicans in charge. She argued Democrats cannot stay on the sidelines.
“We need to use every tool in the toolbox. We need to give the public hope that an incompetent leader just can’t come into communities and actually terrorize communities, traumatize communities,” Kelly said.
The congresswoman also accused DHS of a lack of transparency and creating doubt in the public as they rush to spin stories and shut out state and local officials.
Other Democrats this week blasted Noem and DHS on the hill.
“Is this what the $800 billion went to?” asked Rep. Jared Moskowitz during a hearing on Thursday as he held up a picture of Noem in a giant cowboy hat taken Wednesday after the shooting. “Every day we see her after some new tragedy, she’s wearing a different outfit with a different hat. She looks ridiculous.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal accused Noem along with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance of lying to the American people about what happened to Good.
Sen. Chris Murphy argued Democrats cannot vote for the DHS budget that does not “restrain the growing lawlessness of this agency.”
A DHS spokesperson slammed the push to impeach Noem in a statement to the Daily Beast and accused her of doing it for political purposes.
“As ICE officers are facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults against them, Rep. Kelly is more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually cleaning up her crime-ridden Chicago district,” the spokesperson said. “We hope she would get serious about doing her job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem.”
