'Noem is a liar': Intense attack sees DHS head decried as 'embarrassment' on House floor

A lawmaker had a scathing opening statement about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a hearing where heads of immigration agencies were testifying ahead of a looming funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security.

Ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) called out Noem and President Donald Trump directly, delivering his remarks before the testimony from DHS officials. He questioned Noem's leadership and the conduct of ICE and border patrol agents responsible for carrying out the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies and tactics, including the killing of two citizens in Minnesota last month.

"Bystander videos from Minneapolis and cities around the country, show ICE and CPD personnel behaving like unprofessional goons, cursing at bystanders and mooning people from their hotel rooms," Thompson said. "News reports have a Border Patrol agent who was found passed out, drunk, and covered in vomit in a vehicle and an ICE personnel apparently stole a child's phone and sold it for cash.

"It's an embarrassment and DHS is so-called leadership should be ashamed — if only they had any shame."

He specifically addressed Noem, who had appeared briefly before the committee last year and then said she had to leave for another meeting — but that meeting never happened.

"Secretary Noem's Department of Homeland Security has the blood of American citizens on its hands, but she takes no responsibility for anything," Thompson said. "To the contrary, Secretary Noem was last seen in this committee room hiding behind her family in a desperate attempt to distract from her department's failures and abuses. Then she ran from our questions, leaving early under the guise of needing to attend a meeting that it turns out, didn't even exist."

Thompson described what he thinks Noem should do next.

'She's always been more concerned with photo ops and wardrobe changes than following the law and fulfilling the mission of her department. Since being sworn in, Secretary Noem has has enriched herself, abused the power of her office, obstructed congressional oversight and violated her oath to the Constitution.

"Donald Trump and Kristi Noem are doing real damage to this country and to the department that was stood up 25 years ago in the wake of 9/11 to protect American citizens from future attacks. Secretary Noem is a liar with no concern for Americans killed by the department she runs. She must go."