After Voto Latino–Led Coalition Push for Accountability, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Fired
Washington, D.C. — In response to the firing of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem following her disastrous testimony before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees—where incompetence, corruption, chaos, and deadly harm to American citizens were front and center—Voto Latino issued the following statement:
“The firing of Secretary Noem proves that our voices matter and that collective action is the ultimate check on power. Her departure is a victory for transparency and a long-overdue act of accountability that we have demanded from day one. Since June of last year, Voto Latino has sounded the alarm on a deeply troubling pattern of unconstitutional overreach and civil rights violations under Noem’s leadership. We led a coalition of more than 125 organizations calling on Congress to hold an oversight hearing, refusing to stay silent as the agency terrorized America. After months of sustained pressure, this week’s congressional hearings with Secretary Noem made clear what we had been warning about: she was unfit for the position and unwilling to provide the accountability Americans deserve.
DHS was created to protect our nation. Yet under Noem’s failed leadership, the agency has betrayed its mission, becoming instead an agent of cruelty and chaos. Kristi Noem’s tenure fostered an environment in which federal agents operated with impunity and Americans were encouraged to police one another. It will also be remembered for the tragic deaths of innocent Americans at the hands of ICE.
We must state the facts: this administration bears responsibility for years of anti-immigrant and anti-Latino rhetoric. This rhetoric has emboldened the indiscriminate actions we have seen from DHS and ICE—a culture of abuse and violence that has now resulted in the deaths of American citizens, the separation of families, and the ongoing detention of children.
Our call for accountability does not end here. We will continue demanding transparency from an agency that stands as the world’s most heavily funded law enforcement body. For the past year, Americans have witnessed abusive and deadly operations that do not reflect our national values. Instead of providing safety, these actions have only sown fear in our communities.
While Senator Markwayne Mullin steps into this role, he will remain under our watchful eye. We will not stop demanding an end to the violence inflicted by ICE agents, and we call on Congress to hold Noem’s successor to a higher standard. ICE must not be used as a tool for political persecution or systemic harm.”
In June, Voto Latino began sounding the alarm on Kristi Noem and was the first national organization to demand congressional oversight. It led national calls for a full congressional investigation into Kristi Noem, urging congressional leadership to take decisive action:
- Coalition Letter to Congressional Leadership: Voto Latino partnered with more than 75 national and regional organizations to demand immediate and robust oversight of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
- Paid Digital Campaign: Voto Latino launched targeted digital ads in vulnerable House Republican districts, calling out lawmakers who have refused to hold Noem accountable.
- Public Microsite: Through a public microsite, we mobilized constituents nationwide by facilitating direct outreach to their respective members of Congress and urging them to demand accountability.
- Letter Supporting Articles of Impeachment: Last month, Voto Latino, alongside more than 50 organizations, sent a joint letter to congressional leadership urging support for Representative Kelly’s articles of impeachment against Secretary Noem.
- National Day of Action: Most recently, Voto Latino intensified public pressure on Congress by urging constituents to flood the phones in congressional offices, adding pressure for impeachment proceedings.
- In partnership with coalition allies, Voto Latino mobilized communities nationwide to drive calls to congressional offices and demand that members of Congress back the impeachment articles brought forward by Representative Robin Kelly.
This moment shows what happens when communities organize and demand accountability. Voto Latino will continue expanding its efforts to inform, mobilize, and empower Latino voters to ensure those in power respect our democracy and our communities.
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Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered over two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.