Washington, Jan 28 (.) Anger at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem surged throughout the Senate on Tuesday, especially among senators who voted to confirm her, as lawmakers among Democrats and Republican pushed for her impeachment.
Democrats disagreed on whether her departure would change the Trump administration’s immigration policy. But Republicans, for the first time, broke ranks with President Trump on Noem.
“She should be out of the job,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who voted to confirm Noem’s departure.
“I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who also voted to confirm Noem.

“Kristi Noem should resign or be removed,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), one of seven Democrats who voted for Noem.
“She clearly does not know what she’s doing. She’s not up to the job. She’s lied to the American public, and it’s time for her to go.”
Noem is “inept and absolutely incompetent,” said Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in an interview with Axios.
“I have said that in a normal administration, she would have been asked to resign by now. This is obviously not a normal administration,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). “I don’t want a DHS Secretary Stephen Miller,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who also voted for Noem. “Just her resignation would not be sufficient.”
“If she goes, we’re going to get just another bad apple,” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told reporters. “So, we have to fix DHS.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who voted for Noem, dodged questions on whether she should resign. “I will have more to say about it tomorrow,” she said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his leadership deputies on Tuesday issued a warning to President Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, or Democrats “will commence impeachment proceedings.”
The House Democratic leader’s new threat comes as support for impeaching Noem is increasingly taking pace among his members, with more than two-thirds of his caucus now co-sponsoring articles of impeachment.
Jeffries has spent the weeks since the killing of Renée Good deflecting questions about impeachment, telling Axios as recently as last week that “we haven’t ruled anything in and we haven’t ruled anything out.”
But the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday supercharged the effort, prompting even some prominent centrist, swing-district and leadership members to sign on.
Confirming what they were speaking, lawmakers Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif) said: “Taxpayer dollars are being weaponised by the Trump administration to kill American citizens,” Jeffries said in a joint statement with minority whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.).
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in a statement that he will “launch a complete oversight and impeachment inquiry into all potential constitutional crimes committed by Secretary Noem” if Republicans don’t.
The Maryland Democrat said he plans to work in coordination with Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the top Democrats on the Oversight and Homeland Security committees.
Raskin said the articles of impeachment introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) have “galvanised” House Democrats, but that “we must build on this resolution, through fact-finding, public hearings, and committee reports.”
Kelly, a member of Jeffries’ leadership team, can unilaterally force a House vote on impeaching Noem but has remained conspicuously silent on if or when she might do that.
Trump said Tuesday that he is not going to oust Noem, telling reporters during a gaggle outside the White House, “I think she’s doing a very good job.”
“If Democrats cared this much about deporting violent, criminal illegal aliens, the American people would be much safer,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. A DHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Republicans control the House and Senate, and no GOP lawmakers thus far have signalled support for impeaching Noem.
Even if some House Republicans cross over to vote for Noem’s impeachment, it would still face a steep uphill climb in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is needed for conviction.
More than three-quarters of House Democrats now back impeaching Noem, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday that if Trump doesn’t fire her, he’ll push ahead on impeachment.
Trump defended Noem on Tuesday, saying she’s doing a “very good job.”
For some Democrats, Noem’s dismissal was yet another demand by them before they would consider voting to fund DHS and avoid a partial government shutdown.
“I want to see Kristi Noem go. She should resign or be fired or be impeached,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
“I think that the legislative conditions have to be separate from her going,” he said. “I’m just adding it.”
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