Illinois Governor JB Pritzker stated that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should still be held accountable after President Donald Trump replaced her on Thursday. Pritzker accused Noem of leaving behind a legacy of “corruption and chaos” following a controversy-filled tenure related to immigration enforcement and department spending.
“Hey Kristi Noem, don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” Pritzker said in a video posted after Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma would take her place. “Here’s your legacy: corruption and chaos. Parents and children tear gassed. Moms and nurses, U.S. citizens, getting shot in the face. Now that you’re gone, don’t think you can just walk away. I guarantee you, you will still be held accountable.”
Trump said Mullin would officially take over at the Department of Homeland Security at the end of the month, pending Senate confirmation. He also mentioned that Noem would move into a new role as special envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” a security initiative for the Western Hemisphere that he plans to announce in Florida. Reuters reported that Noem is the first Senate-confirmed Cabinet official to be removed during Trump’s second term.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Kristi Noem. pic.twitter.com/p6SPcRztFw
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) March 5, 2026
Noem’s departure came after a week of tough hearings on Capitol Hill and months of controversy within the Department of Homeland Security. Reuters reported that administration officials pointed to several reasons for her dismissal.
These included the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers in Minneapolis, concerns about a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that was awarded without a standard bidding process, allegations involving her top aide Corey Lewandowski, and what officials called broader mismanagement of the department.
In one hearing, Noem told Senator John Kennedy that Trump had approved the advertising campaign. Trump later told Reuters that he had not authorized it. The campaign became one of the most politically damaging issues during her final weeks in office, especially after lawmakers from both parties questioned her about how the contract was awarded and why the ads prominently featured her.
Pritzker had been one of Noem’s strongest critics during federal immigration operations in Illinois, particularly during the Chicago-area initiative known as Operation Midway Blitz. CBS Chicago reported that Pritzker and Chicago officials often clashed with Noem as federal courts sought to limit the actions of federal agents and implement oversight measures. His comments on Thursday indicated that Illinois Democrats do not see her removal as the end of the issue.
Other Illinois Democrats echoed Pritzker’s sentiments. Senator Dick Durbin stated that Noem had been “the face of an unpopular, illegal, and outright dangerous mass deportation campaign that claimed the lives of innocent Americans and terrorized many more.”
Representative Robin Kelly, who introduced articles of impeachment against Noem in January, noted that her removal did not erase the events that occurred under her leadership. Kelly’s impeachment effort accused Noem of obstructing Congress, violating public trust, and using her office for personal gain.
For Pritzker, the political message was clear: Noem may be gone from DHS, but the Democrats are poised to take control of Congress, and she is first in line to face an investigation for her actions as DHS boss.
