An Illinois Democratic congresswoman has formally called for an investigation into Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, alleging unlawful conduct, misuse of federal funds, and violations of ethical and legal standards in her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security.
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) has asked the House Judiciary Committee to investigate Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, calling her actions at DHS “potentially impeachable” and accusing her of breaking the law, misusing taxpayer funds, and misleading Congress and the public.
Ramirez’s letter alleges Noem “disregarded the rule of law” and violated her oath of office, citing a $200 million DHS public relations campaign involving vendors with personal ties to Noem, a partisan video shown in airports during the Oct. 1 government shutdown that Ramirez says violated the Hatch Act, and the $172 million purchase of two Gulfstream jets. Ramirez also claims Noem made misleading or false public statements, including minimizing the detention of U.S. citizens by ICE and mischaracterizing deportation efforts involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, while alleging DHS under her leadership used excessive force — including chemical agents deployed in defiance of court orders, such as an incident in Chicago despite a federal judge’s ruling barring their use.
During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Ramirez addressed Noem directly: “Your options are limited. Either you’re going to resign, Trump’s going to fire you, or you will be impeached.” She accused Noem of lying “with impunity,” rejecting the system of checks and balances, and ignoring oversight from both Congress and the courts. “You have misused resources appropriated by Congress. You’ve engaged in unethical behavior,” Ramirez remarked during the hearing, adding, “I’ve already called for your resignation. You may remember, I hand delivered my request to you back in May.”
The congresswoman also posted the letter and a video of the hearing on her social media account, writing: “Yes, I’m taking the first step towards Noem’s impeachment” and “The people will have accountability.”
The move comes as Noem has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, with DHS reporting 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving the U.S. since Trump’s second inauguration — including more than 600,000 ICE deportations and nearly two million self-deportations — alongside programs like the CBP Home app that offers stipends and flights. Noem has also drawn national attention for proposing sweeping travel bans on countries she said send “killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies” to the U.S., a stance President Trump has openly praised, saying he is “so happy with her” and calling her border leadership “fantastic.”
Although impeachments of cabinet officials are rare, they have become more common under the current administration, with Ramirez’s action echoing similar efforts by Democrats Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), who targeted HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), who sought to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth over a deadly military operation.
Ramirez, a longtime critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, has previously called ICE a “terrorist organization,” accused DHS of enabling the disappearance of immigrants, and said she is “a proud Guatemalan before I’m an American.”
Yes, I’m taking the first step towards Noem’s impeachment.
I demand a full investigation into Secretary Noem’s unlawful actions and unethical behavior. The people will have accountability. pic.twitter.com/5CCSG9GkzR
— Delia Ramirez (@DeliaRamirezIL) December 11, 2025
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