Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem left a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing unexpectedly, saying she needed to attend a council meeting focused on reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Why It Matters
Noem appeared before the House Committee on Homeland Security to outline the Trump administration’s priorities for responding to threats facing the U.S., including the nationwide deportation operations and recent strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean.
Previous hearings have covered topics such as cybersecurity, terrorism, China, and border security, according to the Associated Press.
Noem has also drawn criticism over disaster-response policy changes under her leadership. Critics say the approach—tilting toward state-led responses rather than a centralized FEMA model—could slow emergency action. They have also pointed to a process requiring DHS approval for contracts above $100,000, arguing it creates unnecessary and potentially dangerous delays during crises.
What To Know
Several Democratic lawmakers pressed Noem for specifics on how DHS is carrying out deportation operations and how targets are selected. The exchanges grew tense, with some members openly calling for her resignation, accusing her of dodging or failing to answer questions.
Noem then departed the hearing abruptly, leaving with her entourage without addressing the committee as lawmakers appeared ready to continue questioning.
Earlier in the session, Noem had said she would need to leave early to attend a FEMA reform council meeting.
Representative Julie Johnson of Texas, a Democrat, mocked the departure by saying Noem “was scared of my questions.” Moments later, protesters outside the hearing room began shouting and followed Noem into the hallway, yelling “Shame on you!”
On social media, some users interpreted the exit as an attempt to avoid both the questioning and the disruption from protesters, who condemned the administration’s deportation operations—an issue Democrats heavily focused on during the hearing.
Afterward, Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, a Democrat, told reporters he had heard the FEMA council meeting had been canceled. According to The Hill, Thompson said he planned to move to subpoena Noem to testify again.
“I understand on good information that the FEMA Council meeting was canceled so there was no need for her to go,” Thompson said, calling Noem a “liar with no respect for congressional oversight.”
Protesters chanted slogans including “Stop ICE raids” and “End deportations.”
What People Are Saying
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in part: “We will never yield. We will never waver, and we will never back down,” later adding, “We’re ending illegal immigration, returning sanity to our immigration system.”
Representative Delia C. Ramirez of Illinois, a Democrat, during the hearing: “Bottom line: you lie with impunity, you reject checks and balances, and you ignore Congress and the courts. Your options are limited: either you’re going to resign, Trump’s going to fire you, or you will be impeached.”
