Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before the House Homeland Security Committee on December 11 in a hearing marked by loud and sharp partisan exchanges, frequent interruptions, and protests from open-borders activists. The Noem session, part of the annual review of threats to the U.S. homeland, quickly became a political battleground.
.@repdeliaramirez to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem: “Bottom line: you lie with impunity, you reject checks and balances, and you ignore Congress and the courts. Your options are limited: either you’re going to resign, Trump’s going to fire you, or you will be impeached.” pic.twitter.com/2ZBzGvWJgh
— CSPAN (@cspan) December 11, 2025
Democrats tried to paint Kristi Noem as a liar, with several calling for her impeachment. Republicans praised the Homeland Secutiy Secretary for the significant progress in restoring border security and the deportation of criminal illegal aliens.
Kristi Noem opened the hearing by outlining the Donald Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to thwart illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal drug and human trafficking networks. “We’re ending illegal immigration, returning sanity to our immigration system, and protecting American communities,” Noem said.
According to DHS data, the Homeland Security agency under Kristi Noem has delivered substantial increases in the removal of criminal illegal aliens, including individuals convicted of violent offenses, gang participation, as well as drug and human trafficking crimes. Department officials report that thousands of criminal illegal immigrants have been removed or have voluntarily self-deported since Donald Trump and Noem stepped-up enforcement operations earlier this year.
🚨 LMAO! Kristi Noem just dropped a BOMB on Indian Rep. Shri Thenadar after he demanded she resign
NOEM: “Truthfully, I consider your asking me to resign an ENDORSEMENT of my work”
Absolutely it is 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TlPUEGkE8T
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 11, 2025
Trump Administration figures also laud Noem for a significant decline in illegal border crossings. The reduction in illegal alien crossing is attributed to heightened U.S. Border Patrol enforcement, expanded surveillance, and increased cooperation with state and local agencies.
Kristi Noem argued that these trends demonstrate the effectiveness of tightened enforcement policies. “When you enforce the law consistently, people stop trying to break it,” Noem told lawmakers, crediting the agency’s personnel for the downward shift.
The Congressional hearing was repeatedly interrupted by open border activists shouting from the gallery, several of whom were removed by Capitol Police after calling for the dissolution of ICE and accusing Kristi Noem of promoting “cruel” enforcement tactics. The disruptions added to an already combative atmosphere reminiscent of many high-profile congressional hearings in recent years—events often defined as much by political theater as by substantive discourse.
Democratic members pressed Noem aggressively on deportation procedures, asylum processing, and DHS transparency. The committee’s ranking member, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), issued one of the strongest rebukes, declaring, “I call on you to resign,” and alleging that Kristi Noem’s responses avoided critical accountability questions.
Another Democrat, Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois, went further, asserting that Noem had lied in previous briefings. Ramirez told reporters she believed Kristi Noem “lies to the American people” and said she planned to work vigorously to build support for impeachment proceedings, arguing that what she views as mismanagement “must be addressed.”
Noem did not respond directly to the impeachment comments but later defended her leadership and the administration’s overall strategy. “We will never yield. We will never waver, and we will never back down,” she said, drawing applause from several Republican lawmakers.
In addition to immigration enforcement, the hearing touched on broader security operations, including a recent international drug-trafficking interception involving a seized oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast. Secretary Noem highlighted the operation as an example of DHS working with partners to disrupt criminal networks responsible for narcotics and human smuggling.
As is common with high-stakes congressional hearings involving administration officials from either party, the session oscillated between policy inquiries and partisan posturing. Analysts noted that while hearings like this one often produce headline-grabbing confrontations, they frequently generate limited actionable information for the public.
The hearing concluded with lawmakers requesting additional DHS documentation and scheduling follow-up briefings, signaling continued oversight of the department’s enforcement strategy in the coming months.
