House Democrats introduced three articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday, coming after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement-involved shooting in Minneapolis and DHS operations across the country.
The articles, led by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), include obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, and self-dealing. The congresswoman said Wednesday the impeachment articles have the support of close to 70 members of Congress.
Kelly accused Noem and the department of denying members of Congress from entering ICE facilities to conduct oversight, as well as allowing DHS officials to arrest people without warrants and engage in violence against citizens as the Trump administration carries out its immigration and deportation policies.
Democrats’ tipping point on Noem was the death of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The political parties have been torn over the details of the incident, sharing videos of the shooting from different vantage points.
The Trump administration and most of the GOP have defended the ICE officer’s actions, accusing Good of being a “domestic terrorist” and seeking to run over law enforcement. However, Democrats and some Republicans have accused ICE officers of “lawless” behavior and shooting an innocent woman who was trying to get away from the scene.
“Renee Good is dead because Secretary Noem has allowed her DHS agents to run amok,” Kelly said during a press conference.
“Secretary Noem has called my impeachment efforts ‘silly.’ I want to tell her right now: Secretary Noem, you have violated your oath of office, and there will be consequences,” Kelly said. “I am watching you. Members of Congress are watching you. The American people, most importantly, are watching you. And most of all, we’re not liking what we’re seeing. If you believe impeachment is silly, then you are not taking your job or our Constitution seriously.”
At a separate press conference with other Homeland Security Committee Democrats on Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who represents part of Minneapolis, also called for Noem’s impeachment.
Omar, the first Somali American member of Congress, has faced backlash during much of her time in Congress, with Republicans lately questioning her immigration status and working to make her the face of a Somali fraud scandal occurring in Minnesota. Conservatives successfully stripped Omar’s nearly $1 million earmark for the Justice Empowerment Initiative by Generation Hope out of last week’s minibus.
“We will not stop fighting until we achieve real justice and accountability, that must begin with impeaching Kristi Noem and ensuring no federal agent can act as a judge, jury, and executioner on our streets,” Omar said at the press conference. “It must also include full and transparent investigation and legal action against ICE. While we grieve, our community as always has shown up for one another with love. “
“She died because she chose law and solidarity over fear, and we will make sure the world will never forgets her name,” Omar added, referring to Good.
The likelihood of impeachment is slim, given the Republican trifecta and that it requires a simple majority in the House and two-thirds majority in the Senate.
When asked about the numbers roadblock and whether this was a framework for Democrats’ priorities should they take back the House in 2026, Kelly told reporters the articles are the “first step.”
“I just feel like we need to use every tool in our toolbox,” the Illinois congresswoman said. “If we do nothing, nothing will happen. And so just really now, trying to build on momentum, getting as many people signed on as possible.”
Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR) added that Democrats “cannot be cynical” in this moment.
“If we are cynical that nobody’s going to join, or we’re not going to get it passed, nothing happens,” Dexter said. “And we proved that with the ACA premium tax credit extension. People thought that there was no way that we would pass that in the House, and we have to continue to message what’s right.”
House Democratic leadership has remained wary of impeachment efforts, particularly those against President Donald Trump, noting that they would be wasting energy given the hurdles in both chambers of Congress.
Kelly said her staff has spoken to the staff of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) about her articles of impeachment. When asked if he supports it, Kelly said, “You’d have to ask Leader Jeffries.”
But, she said, “I would not be standing here if I was told not to do it.”
Jeffries told reporters on Monday that they “haven’t ruled anything in and we haven’t ruled anything out” related to impeachment.
“Everything is on the table from the standpoint of complete and total accountability,” the minority leader said.
He added that Noem is “completely and totally unqualified” and should be “run out of town as soon as possible,” but leaders are figuring out whether impeachment is “the best way to accomplish that objective.”
At Kelly’s press conference were Democratic members from different states and across different political ideologies within the party. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) pointed to this, saying she is one of the “most bipartisan members that you will find in Congress.”
“This has crossed a line. … I believe you will continue to see members of Congress across the ideological spectrum stand up, speak out, because we know the difference between right and wrong,” Craig said.
While a handful of Democrats are working to impeach Noem in response to the shooting in Minneapolis, the party is also weighing how to restrict or possibly defund ICE through the appropriations process.
HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING FROZEN THANKS TO ICE AS DEMOCRATS DEMAND GUARDRAILS
Democratic appropriators asked their Republican counterparts to remove the DHS funding bill from this week’s “minibus” as the party has faced calls not to provide any more money to the department or its agencies without serious guardrails.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the top House Democratic appropriator, told reporters on Tuesday that they are reviewing all options, but no decision has been made. She added that she thinks it will need a separate vote, rather than the House Republicans’ plan to attach it to a contentious final package to fund the Pentagon and other departments.
Lauren Green contributed to this report.
