Republican Sen. Thom Tillis from North Carolina called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday. He accused her of blocking lawmakers and poorly managing the department as political fallout from the Trump administration’s immigration policies grows.
“Does anyone understand how serious it is for the OIG in this agency to make this public? That is blocking, that’s a failure of leadership, and that’s why I’ve called for your resignation,” Tillis said, pointing to a letter from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
Tillis also told Noem, “What we’ve seen is a disaster under your leadership.” He stated he would place holds on Senate nominations until DHS answers his office’s questions about immigration enforcement and disaster-related issues, according to Axios.
The confrontation occurred as Noem faced tough questions from both parties about DHS’s management of immigration arrests, agency spending, and her statements after fatal incidents involving federal immigration officers and U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Reuters reported that Noem defended her earlier comments, where she labeled the incidents as “domestic terrorism.” She said she based her statements on field reports and did not retract or apologize after video evidence contradicted her claims.
“I was receiving reports from the ground, from agents at the scene,” Noem testified, describing the situations as chaotic. “I absolutely strive to provide factual information.”
🚨 Republican Senator Thom Tillis just publicly destroyed Kristi Noem and called for her resignation.
Then got a standing ovation.
Then threatened to block Trump’s nominees until she stops stonewalling Congress.
A Republican. Doing this. Today.
The walls are closing in — and… pic.twitter.com/N4sKn2FvNl
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) March 3, 2026
According to Reuters, the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in separate incidents in January sparked public anger and led the administration to change its strategy, moving away from large, city-wide operations to more focused enforcement. Noem testified that 650 federal agents remained in Minnesota, down from about 3,000 in January.
In his opening remarks, committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said “mistakes have been made,” while defending immigration officers and urging lawmakers to avoid threats against agents enforcing the law.
Tillis argued that Noem’s management of the Minneapolis incidents hurt public trust and could turn Americans against deportations. “We’re starting to make the American people think deporting people is wrong. It’s the exact opposite,” Tillis said, adding: “The way you’re handling deportations is wrong.”
Lawmakers also questioned Noem about a DHS-funded advertising campaign that reportedly cost $220 million and highlighted her role in it. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said the campaign raised Noem’s “name recognition” and warned that the contract “puts the president in a very difficult situation.” Noem told senators she had no part in choosing contractors and said she would check if anyone close to her gained financially.
Axios reported that Tillis criticized Noem for mentioning in her 2024 memoir that she killed her dog. He told her, “You decided to kill that dog because you hadn’t invested the right training, then you have the nerve to write a book and say it’s a leadership lesson.”
Noem is set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, as Democrats push for an impeachment effort that faces serious challenges in the Republican-controlled House.
