Democrats Unveil Three Articles of Impeachment Against Kristi Noem

WASHINGTON – With the support of nearly 70 colleagues, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) on Wednesday introduced three articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

It’s time to hold Noem accountable for “her reign of terror” in cities across the country, Kelly told reporters.

“Secretary Noem has called my impeachment effort ‘foolish,’” he said. “I want to tell you right now, Secretary Noem, that you have violated your oath of office and there will be consequences. I am watching you. Members of Congress are watching you. The American people, most importantly, are watching you.”

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), a co-sponsor of the effort, was more direct.

“This agency thinks it is above the law,” he fumed. “The most fundamental principle and value for the American people is justice and humane policies, not beating people.”

The list will almost certainly grow, but the names of all the Democrats currently co-sponsoring Kelly’s impeachment resolution are here.

A DHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Asked whether House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) supports her effort to proceed with impeachment proceedings against Noem, Kelly said his staff had spoken to him.

“I wouldn’t be here if they told me not to do it,” he said.

Bloomberg via Getty Images

The math, of course, does not favor the Democrats. Republicans control the House, and any push to move forward with Noem’s impeachment process would require the support of all Democrats and at least some members of the GOP.

Kelly said he recognizes this, but that Democrats “need to use every tool at our disposal” to hold the Trump administration accountable.

“If we don’t do anything, nothing will happen,” he said.

Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), also a co-sponsor of Kelly’s resolution, said now is not the time to be cynical about Democrats’ chances of forcing the issue.

“If we’re cynical and say no one will join or we won’t get it passed, that’s okay,” Dexter said. “We have to keep sending messages about what is right.”

she said that she held a town hall over the weekend, days after an ICE agent shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, and voters delivered “perpetual standing ovations for the impeachment of Kristi Noem.”

“People want us to do something,” he said. “That’s our job.”

To remove Noem, House Democrats would need to win a simple majority, or 218 votes, in favor of impeachment. This process typically begins with an investigation in the House Judiciary Committee, of which Kelly is not a member.

If the House were to actually impeach Noem, Senate Republican leaders would have to agree to hold a trial, and that chamber would need a two-thirds supermajority, or 67 votes, to convict and remove Noem from office.

“The most fundamental principle and value for the American people is justice and humane policies, not beating people.”

– Representative Nydia Velázquez (DN.Y.)

House and Senate Democrats have been demanding reforms at DHS after the Minneapolis shooting, which is just the latest incident of violence carried out by ICE agents in cities across the country.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes nearly 100 House Democrats, announced Tuesday that its members oppose any new financing for DHS until “significant” reforms are made, although they did not provide details. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is working on an invoice which outlines specific reforms at ICE, such as banning ICE agents from wearing masks and requiring Border Patrol agents to be at the border. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) revealed legislation On Wednesday that would redirect roughly $75 billion in federal funds from ICE and send them to local law enforcement programs.

Some Democrats, such as the president of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), have called for full review ICE. Recent surveys show that there are more Americans supports the abolition of ICE than before Trump retook the White House, a major shift in public opinion in the past six months.

When asked if Democrats are considering pushing for full abolition of ICE, Kelly did not say no.

“All options are on the table,” he said.

For all their promises to rein in Noem and ICE, House Democrats don’t seem to agree on how to do it.

At a press event later Wednesday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, announced that Democrats on this panel will begin their own work to hold Noem “accountable.”

He anticipated a much longer process of investigating Noem’s actions, describing Democratic committee members visiting communities across the country and talking to people about their experiences with DHS agents, collecting data and testimony.

“ICE will be looked at, as well as FEMA and some other areas,” Thompson said, with committee members at his side. “Nothing is off the table. But accountability is the key to what we’re talking about.”

When asked about Kelly’s impeachment effort, the Mississippi Democrat said some lawmakers “have already made up their minds” about what actions they want to take against Noem. “But from the standpoint of the committee as a whole, we’re looking at accountability,” he said.

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), one of the Democrats on the judicial panel at Thompson’s press event, took things in another direction by announcing his plans to try to abolish ICE.

“ICE is beyond reform. ICE is totally out of control,” Thanedar said. “This week I intend to introduce a bill to abolish ICE. We need to make ICE go away.”

As the event ended, a reporter yelled at Thompson as he walked away about whether he supported Thanedar’s call to abolish ICE.

He continued walking.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of votes needed in the Senate for an impeachment conviction. It’s 67.