Brownley Statement in Support of Articles of Impeachment Against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) released the following statement in support of Articles of Impeachment filed against U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The articles of impeachment were introduced earlier this week by Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) and have been co-sponsored by more than 80 Members of Congress.

"Kristi Noem has repeatedly violated her oath of office by denying due process, disregarding the rule of law, and placing both citizens and immigrants in grave danger. Rather than enforcing the law responsibly, DHS has weaponized immigration enforcement to sow chaos, intimidate families, and terrorize entire neighborhoods - all with Secretary Noem's full knowledge and approval.

"Last year marked the deadliest year on record for ICE detention, with 32 individuals dying in custody. More recently, Renee Good, a mother of three and beloved community member, was murdered by an ICE agent whose excessive use of force resulted in the most horrific outcome. These are not isolated incidents. They are the predictable result of a Department operating without meaningful oversight, transparency, or accountability.

"Kristi Noem oversees this lawlessness with blatant disregard for the Constitution and for the basic rights of the people she is sworn to protect. ICE agents have been emboldened to use excessive force, forcibly separate children from their families, deport veterans who served our nation in uniform, and detain people - including pregnant women and other vulnerable populations - under deplorable conditions. These actions undermine constitutional protections, erode public trust in law enforcement, and make our communities unsafe.

"To make matters worse, Noem has refused to condemn ICE's misconduct or take steps to restore order and accountability. Instead, she has doubled down on false and inflammatory rhetoric that fuels fear, escalates tensions, and perpetuates violence nationwide.

"Noem has also obstructed congressional oversight by preventing Members of Congress, including myself, from carrying out our constitutional duty to investigate abuses within the Department of Homeland Security. She has repeatedly failed to answer for DHS's misconduct, delayed lifesaving FEMA assistance to communities devastated by natural disasters, and abused taxpayer dollars.

"Kristi Noem's reckless leadership has hollowed out DHS, normalized lawlessness, and placed lives at risk. She is wholly unfit to serve, which is why I will continue working with my colleagues to advance these Articles of Impeachment and demand accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law."

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Issues: 119th Congress, Disaster Relief, Immigration