Live updates: Kristi Noem testifies before the Senate committee
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is testifying Tuesday in the Senate, marking her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis.
Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7, sparking intense protests by Minnesota politicians and residents, and a few weeks later on Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on Alex Pretti, another Minnesota resident, who was filming enforcement operations.
Noem defends Department of Homeland Security's treatment of immigrants
What they're saying:
The Associated Press reported that Kristi Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers. Noem lashed out at Democrats for the congressional funding showdown.
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"The latest Democrat-led shutdown of DHS is reckless," Noem said. "It’s unnecessary, and it undermines the American national security, and it harms the men and women who work at DHS and their families."
Noem faces tough questions from lawmakers
Dig deeper:
Kristi Noem faced questioning from Democrats who say immigration officers under her control have abused their power, used excessive force and violated people's constitutional rights in carrying the Trump administration's agenda.
The Associated Press reported that Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, repeatedly questioned Noem about comments she made immediately after the deaths of both Renee Good and Alex Pretti that cast them as the aggressors in the events leading up to their deaths. He called on her to apologize.
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"You and your agency rushed to brand these victims as, quote, domestic terrorists," Durbin said. "We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you are wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families."
Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed "violent protesters" for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.
"I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene, as you’ve seen in Minneapolis and St. Paul," she said. Her officers "worked at targeting the worst of the worst" and many times faced violence from protesters, Noem added.
FILE-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem holds a news conference at Miami International Airport on January 31, 2026 in Miami, Florida. Secretary Noem discussed technology development and investment in the Transportation Security Administration
Noem's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee comes after a weekend shooting at a Texas bar that is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.
Republicans and Democrats have been critical of Noem's oversight of the Trump administration’s immigration operations nationwide. FOX News reported that some Democrats have called for her to face impeachment.
What to watch for in Noem's testimony
Local perspective:
Kristi Noem is expected to face questioning from Democrats who say immigration officers under her management have abused their power, used excessive force and violated people's constitutional rights in carrying the Trump administration's agenda.
In a statement from Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois ahead of the hearing obtained by the Associated Press, he said: "Secretary Noem is the public face for an abominable anti-immigrant crusade. Her agents continue to wreak havoc on our cities and act with unspeakable cruelty against children, immigrant families, and American citizens."
The Associated Press reported that Noem is also scheduled to appear Wednesday in front of a House committee.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by FOX News and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.