Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on March 4, 2026. The hearing was the second in as many days for Noem, who faces questions about her department’s handling of immigration enforcement. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Republicans spent an oversight hearing Wednesday with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticizing local governments for policies that restricted immigration cooperation, while Democrats criticized her leadership of the department, saying it led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
House Republicans were friendlier toward Noem as GOP senators who pressed and sometimes shouted at her on Tuesday for her snap judgment as she described those killed in Minneapolis – Renee Good, a poet and mother of three, and Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse – as domestic terrorists. Senators also criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s ponderous response.
At the House Judiciary Committee hearing, Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio blamed the Biden administration for immigration policies that Jordan said have created a crisis and criticized local jurisdictions that refuse to facilitate the federal government enforce immigration rules, often referred to as sanctuary cities.
He called it “the stupidest policy I have ever heard” and promised that Congress would ban it.
During the nearly six-hour hearing, Noem said she agreed and supported Republicans’ efforts to advance legislation to prevent states and local governments from resisting immigration enforcement.
“Illegal aliens coming to this country know where they can go, where elected officials will protect them,” she said.
Republicans also criticized Democrats for refusing to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2026 unless there are changes to immigration enforcement tactics. After Pretti’s death in slow January, Democrats took a tough line on the issue.
The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday 211-209 submit a DHS funding proposal. A final vote is expected on Thursday.
“Blankie” left on the plane
The panel’s top Democrat, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, addressed Noem on a range of issues, starting with a report from the Wall Street Journal It detailed how special government official and top Noem adviser Corey Lewandowski fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket was left behind on a previous flight.
According to the WSJ story, the pilot had to be reinstated because no one else could fly the plane.
“When your special blanket, your security blanket, was left on one of the government jets and not transported to the new one, your special government employee, Corey Lewandowski, apparently gallantly stepped forward to fire the pilot – in mid-air,” Raskin said. “But then he had to be rehired immediately because there was no one else who could fly the two of you the rest of the way home.”
Noem denied the story.
Florida Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz pressed Neom several media reports that she is currently in a romantic relationship with Lewandowski and expressed concerns about the authority Lewandowski has at the agency.
“You go out and attack conservative women and say we’re either stupid or sluts,” Noem said, but didn’t answer whether she had an affair.
Moskowitz also said he got Noem a “new Coast Guard blanket” and held up a packaged blanket with the Coast Guard emblem.
FEMA problems
As with Tuesday’s Senate hearing, Noem was again criticized by a North Carolina lawmaker over delays in FEMA assistance, with Democratic Rep. Deborah K. Ross taking over the role on Wednesday.
Ross said thousands of residents in western North Carolina are still waiting for Noem to approve additional FEMA funding that Congress appropriated in a separate disaster relief funding bill after Hurricane Helene in 2024.
“These delays in disbursing these much-needed recovery funds are simply unacceptable, and you heard that from my Republican Senator (Thom) Tillis yesterday,” Ross said.
Ross criticized Noem for implementing a policy requiring that any FEMA contract costing more than $100,000 must first be approved by her.
Ross said the policy “has contributed to many of these delays, creating a bottleneck and blocking the refund of hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster funds that stand directly between North Carolinians and this aid.”
Noem accused former President Joe Biden of failing to send disaster relief money to the state, saying he had “failed North Carolina” and that the state received billions more under the Trump administration.
“Because we appropriated the money!” Ross screamed.
In slow December 2024, Congress passed a separate disaster relief package, which Biden signed into law in the final month of his term.
Minneapolis Questions
Noem came under pressure from Raskin for calling Good and Pretti, both 37 and shot by federal immigration agents, domestic terrorists.
“I want to give you a chance in front of the entire country to correct your false and defamatory statement based on what you know today, Minister, were Renee Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists?” Raskin asked.
Noem did not respond to repeated questions from Raskin about whether she believed Good and Pretti were domestic terrorists, but said, “What happened in these two incidents in Minnesota was an absolute tragedy.”
