On January 12, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was asked about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem‘s absence from a congressional witness chair. That’s when he accused Noem of “hiding behind her MAGA wardrobe” instead of testifying. That became the soundbite of the day, during a Democratic offensive over immigration enforcement and accountability.
While the comment may come off as a fashion diss, Jeffries was actually accusing Noem of choosing photo ops over answering lawmakers. He was referring to the fatal ICE shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
If Noem believes her department’s actions are justifiable, Jeffries said, she should:
“Come before Congress and face the American people through their elected representatives.”
Instead, he said that the DHS secretary is making very brief appearances and “scurrying out of hearings” whenever things are getting heated. Jeffries noted that Noem had behaved similarly even before Good was killed.
Jeffries: “The killing of Renee Nicole Good was an abomination, a disgrace, and blood is clearly on the hands of those individuals within the administration who have been pushing an extreme policy that has nothing to do with immigration enforcement connected to removing violent… pic.twitter.com/WIsIl9aZPw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 8, 2026
The Minneapolis shooting in question has become a flashpoint in the fight over ICE tactics under Donald Trump‘s immigration crackdown. Good was a U.S. citizen and mother of three. She was shot and killed during an ICE operation on a residential street. The incident led to protests and viral videos over whether deadly force was needed at all.
Earlier, Jeffries called Good’s killing an “abomination” as she couldn’t have posed the kind of threat that called for lethal force. At the briefing, he tied the tragedy to DHS leadership and funding decisions that unleashed ICE in “extreme ways.”
The main point that Jeffries emphasized, and Democrats at large are asking, is where that money came from. Much of ICE’s funding wasn’t approved through standard appropriations but rather through what Jeffries referred to as the “one big ugly bill.” This bill has been pushed by Republicans and opposed by every Democrat in both chambers. That makes it tough for Congress to rein in ICE.
Democrats are proposing to abolish ICE, impeaching Noem, and even defunding DHS.
Jeffries didn’t commit to the most aggressive options as of now. He said House Democrats will have a “family conversation” under the leadership of Rep. Pramila Jayapal to find a way forward. The hearing on Friday in Minneapolis will primarily involve House Democrats discussing DHS oversight and seeking transparency from ICE after it was described as “out of control.”
Hakeem Jeffries lies: “There is no evidence that has been presented to justify the shooting of an unarmed woman.”
He then smears the ICE officer as a “rogue agent” who has a “depraved indifference to human life.”
Democrat leadership ratcheting up the temp as high as possible. pic.twitter.com/rB54aja21y
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 8, 2026
What’s interesting is that, according to The Hill, some Republicans have also been uncomfortable with Noem’s absence. For example, Sen. Thom Tillis has placed a hold on DHS nominees until Noem appears before the Senate. Still, Jeffries acknowledged that it was discipline that helped Democrats’ recent wins, including extending ObamaCare subsidies.
But accountability starts with showing up. Will Kristi Noem do that?
NEXT UP: ICE Officers Refer to Renee Good Killing While Threatening Churchgoer
