At least eight more House Democrats have added their names as co-sponsors to a resolution seeking to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday.
The impeachment resolution was initially launched by Representative Robin Kelly of Illinois after the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good—also a 37-year-old U.S. citizen—by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. After the second killing over the weekend, Democratic outrage toward ICE and DHS intensified, and the impeachment push gained additional momentum, even as many lawmakers acknowledge it faces long odds in a Republican-controlled Congress.
Alongside the 112 Democrats already backing the measure, Representatives Debbie Dingell of Michigan, Laura Gillen of New York, Lizzie Fletcher of Texas, Troy Carter of Louisiana, Gregory W. Meeks of New York, Sam Liccardo of California, Marilyn Strickland of Washington, and Robert Garcia of California signed on over the weekend. Several high-profile Democratic senators also voiced support for the effort.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek on Monday that the department “enforces the laws Congress passes, period,” adding that lawmakers who disagree with those laws should change them.
Why It Matters
The shooting death of Pretti appears to have injected new urgency into Democrats’ effort to impeach Noem. Over the weekend, more Democratic officials and commentators called for her impeachment or resignation after the Minneapolis incident.
Noem and the Trump administration defended the officer’s actions, while multiple prominent Republicans called for a full investigation.
Even with Democratic support growing, the impeachment drive remains a steep climb. The House is controlled by Republicans, making passage uncertain. And even if the House approved impeachment, conviction and removal in the Senate would require a two-thirds vote—an even tougher hurdle in a GOP-led chamber.
What to Know
At least 120 Democrats have now co-sponsored Kelly’s resolution to introduce articles of impeachment against Noem. The measure, introduced earlier this month, seeks to impeach the DHS secretary on three grounds:
- “Obstruction of Congress,”
- “Violation of Public Trust,” and
- “Self-Dealing.”
Kelly introduced the articles on January 14, accusing Noem of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The articles are expected to allege that Noem obstructed congressional oversight of ICE and DHS facilities and directed ICE to “make widespread warrantless arrests, forgo due process, and use violence against United States citizens, lawful residents, and other individuals.” The resolution also accuses her of “using her position to circumvent the Federal contracting process and funneling Federal funds to her friends’ businesses.”
At a press conference, Kelly said Noem “has brought her reign of terror to Chicago, LA, Minneapolis, and communities from north to south, east to west,” adding that she should be impeached.
Noem has dismissed the impeachment drive as “silly,” according to Kelly, who responded by saying the DHS secretary had violated her oath of office and warned that “there will be consequences.”
What People Are Saying
Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat, told Newsweek last Thursday: “When you have people that are being killed in broad daylight, if your only excuse for not signing on is nothing’s gonna happen, then it almost gives a permission structure. It is almost complicit in these actions. We still have democracy, at least some portions of it at this point.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek on Monday: “While ICE officers are facing a staggering 1,300 percent spike in assaults, too many politicians would rather defend criminals and attack the men and women who are enforcing our laws and did nothing while Joe Biden facilitated an invasion of tens of millions of illegal aliens into our country. It’s time they focus on protecting the American people, the work this Department is doing every day under Secretary Noem’s leadership.”
Senator Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, wrote on X Saturday: “Trump’s thugs just shot and killed a man in Minneapolis. Eyewitnesses are describing it as an execution. We cannot keep living like this and people can’t keep dying like this. Stop funding DHS. Impeach Kristi Noem. Hold these agents accountable.”
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday: “Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”
Full List of Democrats Sponsoring Kristi Noem Impeachment Effort
Alma S. Adams of North Carolina
Gabe Amo of Rhode Island
Yassamin Ansari of Arizona
Becca Balint of Vermont
Nanette Diaz Barragán of California
Joyce Beatty of Ohio
Wesley Bell of Missouri
Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon
Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania
Shontel M. Brown of Ohio
Julia Brownley of California
Nikki Budzinski of Illinois
Salud O. Carbajal of California
André Carson of Indiana
Troy Carter of Louisiana
Greg Casar of Texas
Sean Casten of Illinois
Joaquin Castro of Texas
Judy Chu of California
Yvette D. Clarke of New York
Steve Cohen of Tennessee
J. Luis Correa of California
Angie Craig of Minnesota
Jasmine Crockett of Texas
Danny K. Davis of Illinois
Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania
Diana DeGette of Colorado
Debbie Dingell of Michigan
Christopher R. Deluzio of Pennsylvania
Mark DeSaulnier of California
Maxine Dexter of Oregon
Lloyd Doggett of Texas
Sarah Elfreth of Maryland
Veronica Escobar of Texas
Adriano Espaillat of New York
Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania
Lizzie Fletcher of Texas
Valerie P. Foushee of North Carolina
Lois Frankel of Florida
Laura Friedman of California
Maxwell Frost of Florida
John Garamendi of California
Jesús G. “Chuy” García of Illinois
Robert Garcia of California
Sylvia R. Garcia of Texas
Laura Gillen of New York
Daniel S. Goldman of New York
Jimmy Gomez of California
Al Green of Texas
Adelita S. Grijalva of Arizona
Val T. Hoyle of Oregon
Jared Huffman of California
Jonathan L. Jackson of Illinois
Sara Jacobs of California
Pramila Jayapal of Washington
Julie Johnson of Texas
Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California
William R. Keating of Massachusetts
Robin Kelly of Illinois
Timothy M. Kennedy of New York
Sam Liccardo of California
Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois
John B. Larson of Connecticut
Summer L. Lee of Pennsylvania
Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico
Stephen F. Lynch of Massachusetts
Doris O. Matsui of California
Sarah McBride of Delaware
April McClain Delaney of Maryland
Betty McCollum of Minnesota
Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky
James P. McGovern of Massachusetts
LaMonica McIver of New Jersey
Gregory W. Meeks of New York
Robert Menendez of New Jersey
Kweisi Mfume of Maryland
Dave Min of California
Gwen Moore of Wisconsin
Kelly Morrison of Minnesota
Seth Moulton of Massachusetts
Kevin Mullin of California
Jerrold Nadler of New York
Donald Norcross of New Jersey
Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
Brittany Pettersen of Colorado
Chellie Pingree of Maine
Mark Pocan of Wisconsin
Mike Quigley of Illinois
Emily Randall of Washington
Luz M. Rivas of California
Andrea Salinas of Oregon
Linda T. Sánchez of California
Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania
Janice D. Schakowsky of Illinois
Terri A. Sewell of Alabama
Brad Sherman of California
Lateefah Simon of California
Eric Sorensen of Illinois
Marilyn Strickland of Washington
Melanie A. Stansbury of New Mexico
Haley M. Stevens of Michigan
Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia
Eric Swalwell of California
Mark Takano of California
Shri Thanedar of Michigan
Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi
Mike Thompson of California
Dina Titus of Nevada
Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
Jill N. Tokuda of Hawaii
Paul Tonko of New York
Norma J. Torres of California
Ritchie Torres of New York
Lori Trahan of Massachusetts
Juan Vargas of California
Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico
Nydia M. Velázquez of New York
Maxine Waters of California
Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey
Nikema Williams of Georgia
What Happens Next
It remains unclear when—or whether—the articles of impeachment will advance in the House. Given the current balance of power, many observers view the effort as unlikely to succeed.
Meanwhile, protests targeting DHS, ICE, and the Trump administration are expected to continue in Minnesota and other parts of the country.
