Kristi Noem left congressional hearing for alleged FEMA meeting after questions about ICE
The Secretary of Homeland Security was questioned about the detention of US veterans and other shortcomings in immigration operations
“I’m going to take the position that she was scared off by my questions,” said Democratic Congresswoman Julie Johnson (Texas) when it was her turn to question Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who left the hearing in the House Homeland Security Committee.
While Facing tough questions about how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts operations, the official claimed she had a scheduled meeting at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and would therefore leave the hearing early. However, she is now accused of misleading the representatives, as the meeting she was supposed to attend had been canceled, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the cancellation occurred after she left the House of Representatives. Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson (Mississippi) requested that Noem be subpoenaed to appear before the panel, alleging that she evaded her obligations and may even have lied about the FEMA meeting. “I understand, with good information, that the FEMA Council meeting was canceled, so it was not necessary for me to attend,” Thompson said. “She was a liar with no respect for congressional oversight.”
Noem left the hearing regarding the alleged FEMA meeting at 1:00 p.m. ET.
“Actually, I have to leave this hearing early because the FEMA Review Board will be presenting its report today with suggestions for changes to FEMA. I have to co-chair it, but I’ll be leaving soon to do so,” Noem said prior to her departure, which occurred amid protests by activists against immigration raids.
Republicans rejected Thompson’s motion to subpoena Noem again, who faced questions about immigration raids and the detention of Americans.
One of the questions that put Noem in trouble came from Democratic Representative Seth Magaziner (Rhode Island),who asked Noem if DHS had deported any military veterans. She said no. However, she showed a man named Sae Joon Park on a tablet, whom she had connected to via Zoom. Magaziner claimed that Park, a Purple Heart recipient, was shot twice while serving in the U.S. Army in Panama in 1989 and was deported to Korea by the administration of President Donald Trump. “Like many veterans, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse after his service,” Magaziner stated. “He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug-related offenses, nothing serious. He never hurt anyone but himself, and he has been sober and clean for 14 years.” Noem didn't have many options for how to respond, but she said she was grateful to those who “have served” in the U.S. military and pledged to review Park's case. Noem was questioned about how DHS is detaining any immigrant it deems worthy of deportation, without considering that person's overall context, as in the case of Jim Brown's wife from Troy, Missouri, whom Representative Magaziner mentioned. Brown's wife is originally from Ireland but lived in the U.S. for 48 years. She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, after writing a bad check for $80. The DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers. From Global Threats to Immigration: Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration. Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme." "I ask her to resign," Thompson declared. Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans complain about the arrest of violent criminals, but that in these operations anyone is detained simply for being undocumented. "They lie with impunity," said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson in calling for Noem's resignation and also demanded her impeachment. Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats were prominent.Magaziner stated that Park, a recipient of the Purple Heart, was shot twice while serving in the U.S. Army in Panama in 1989 and was deported to Korea by the administration of President Donald Trump. “Like many veterans, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse after his service,” Magaziner stated. “He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug-related offenses, nothing serious. He never hurt anyone but himself, and he has been sober and clean for 14 years.” Noem didn't have many options for how to respond, but she said she was grateful to those who “have served” in the U.S. military and pledged to review Park's case. Noem was questioned about how DHS is detaining any immigrant it deems worthy of deportation, without considering that person's overall context, as in the case of Jim Brown's wife from Troy, Missouri, whom Representative Magaziner mentioned. Brown's wife is originally from Ireland but lived in the U.S. for 48 years. She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, after writing a bad check for $80. The DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers. From Global Threats to Immigration: Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration. Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme." "I ask her to resign," Thompson declared. Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans complain about the arrest of violent criminals, but that in these operations anyone is detained simply for being undocumented. "They lie with impunity," said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson in calling for Noem's resignation and also demanded her impeachment. Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats were prominent.Magaziner stated that Park, a recipient of the Purple Heart, was shot twice while serving in the U.S. Army in Panama in 1989 and was deported to Korea by the administration of President Donald Trump. “Like many veterans, he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse after his service,” Magaziner stated. “He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug-related offenses, nothing serious. He never hurt anyone but himself, and he has been sober and clean for 14 years.” Noem didn't have many options for how to respond, but she said she was grateful to those who “have served” in the U.S. military and pledged to review Park's case. Noem was questioned about how DHS is detaining any immigrant it deems worthy of deportation, without considering that person's overall context, as in the case of Jim Brown's wife from Troy, Missouri, whom Representative Magaziner mentioned. Brown's wife is originally from Ireland but lived in the U.S. for 48 years. She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, after writing a bad check for $80. The DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers. From Global Threats to Immigration: Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration. Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme." "I ask her to resign," Thompson declared. Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans complain about the arrest of violent criminals, but that in these operations anyone is detained simply for being undocumented. "They lie with impunity," said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson in calling for Noem's resignation and also demanded her impeachment. Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats were prominent.“He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug-related offenses, nothing serious. He never hurt anyone but himself, and he has been sober and clean for 14 years.” Noem didn't have many options for how to respond, but she said she was grateful to those who “have served” in the U.S. military and pledged to review Park's case. Noem was questioned about how DHS is detaining any immigrant it deems worthy of deportation, without considering that person's overall context, as in the case of Jim Brown's wife from Troy, Missouri, whom Representative Magaziner mentioned. Brown's wife is originally from Ireland but lived in the U.S. for 48 years. She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, after writing a bad check for $80. The DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers. From Global Threats to Immigration: Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration. Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme." "I ask her to resign," Thompson declared. Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans complain about the arrest of violent criminals, but that in these operations anyone is detained simply for being undocumented. "They lie with impunity," said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson in calling for Noem's resignation and also demanded her impeachment. Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats were prominent.“He was arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug-related offenses, nothing serious. He never hurt anyone but himself, and he has been sober and clean for 14 years.” Noem didn't have many options for how to respond, but she said she was grateful to those who “have served” in the U.S. military and pledged to review Park's case. Noem was questioned about how DHS is detaining any immigrant it deems worthy of deportation, without considering that person's overall context, as in the case of Jim Brown's wife from Troy, Missouri, whom Representative Magaziner mentioned. Brown's wife is originally from Ireland but lived in the U.S. for 48 years. She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, after writing a bad check for $80. The DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers. From Global Threats to Immigration: Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration. Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme." "I ask her to resign," Thompson declared. Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans complain about the arrest of violent criminals, but that in these operations anyone is detained simply for being undocumented. "They lie with impunity," said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson in calling for Noem's resignation and also demanded her impeachment. Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats were prominent.She was arrested and faces deportation for alleged fraud committed several years ago, for writing a bad check for $80.
DHS is accused of not focusing on foreigners with criminal records, but on any undocumented immigrant and even people with pending immigration cases, which violates due process, according to lawyers.
From Global Threats to Immigration
Noem's hearing was intended to address "Global Threats to the Homeland," but Democrats focused their questions on immigration.
Representative Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the committee, was among the most outspoken and called the Trump Administration's immigration agenda, operated by Noem, "extreme."
"I ask her to resign," Thompson declared.
Other Democrats criticized Noem for lying to Americans about the arrest of violent criminals, while claiming that anyone is detained in the operations. simply for being undocumented.
“They lie with impunity,” said Representative Delia Rodriguez (Illinois), who joined Thompson regarding Noem's resignation, in addition to calling for her impeachment.
Republicans supported Noem, but the protests and questioning from Democrats took center stage.

