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Did Kristi Noem resign? Why DHS Secretary ‘abruptly’ left House panel hearing
Homeland Security chief departs House panel amid fiery questioning; did not resign, says she needed to attend a meeting.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem abruptly exited a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Thursday, December 11.
There have been growing speculations of her numbered days as the Homeland Security Secretary, and that she has mishandled the billions of dollars in additional funds her organization received this year from tax and domestic policy reforms passed by Republicans. Amid speculations, her sudden departure from the hearing has raised even more questions.
However, she has not resigned, and there is no official confirmation of dissatisfaction from the Trump administration. Noem left the session after about two hours of testimony, saying she needed to attend a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reform meeting.
Read more: Trump to fire Kristi Noem over ‘secret romance’? Here's who could replace her
What piled on to her sudden exit?
Noem’s appearance before Congress is billed as an annual assessment of “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland” such as border security, terrorism and cybersecurity.
But the hearing quickly shifted to a contentious focus on immigration enforcement, deportation policies and disaster-management reform.
Several Democratic lawmakers called for her resignation, accusing her of mismanagement and lack of transparency.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, bluntly told Noem her leadership of the DHS was deficient and explicitly called for her resignation. He accused her of overseeing policies that “make America less safe.”
Democrats also criticised Noem for her handling of deportation operations and her limited appearances before Congress. They argued that DHS was resisting oversight. Thompson and others cited issues ranging from controversial contracts to adverse impacts on civil rights.
Republican members, however, largely praised her work in implementing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda and protecting the U.S. border. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) was specifically mentioned as supporting Noem’s efforts.
Noem has remained in her position as Secretary of Homeland Security despite Democrats' pressure and public scrutiny, and White House officials continue to express their support for her leadership.
Read more: Noem seeks ‘full travel ban’ on countries flooding US with ‘killers, leeches'
DHS controversy under Noem
Noem's appointment as DHS secretary has been marred by controversy on a number of fronts.
She has promoted FEMA reform policies that prioritize state-led disaster response in addition to immigration enforcement. Hence, she has come under fire for delaying crisis relief and requiring her personal approval on large contracts.
During Thursday’s testimony, Noem also faced pointed criticism from Rep. Seth Magaziner, who challenged her claim that no U.S. veterans had been deported. Magaziner then proceeded to bring in a decorated war veteran into the hearing via remote testimony to counter her statements. That exchange highlighted ongoing controversy over DHS deportation decisions.
