Voto Latino Demands Secretary Noem’s Impeachment Following “Calculated Deception” During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
Washington, D.C. — This morning, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, once again failing to demonstrate the sound judgment and constitutional discretion required of her office.
In response to today’s hearing, Voto Latino issued the following statement:
“What we witnessed today was nearly five hours of calculated deception. Secretary Noem’s testimony should give every American pause; with every lie, she further proved her unfitness to lead the Department of Homeland Security. After a year of state-sponsored chaos and instability that has devastated American lives, regardless of status, it is clear that Secretary Noem and her rogue agents have brought our nation to a dark crossroads. She has failed the basic test of leadership, and should face impeachment immediately.”
Find below some of Secretary Noem’s deflections and our fact-checking below:
After Steve Bannon called for ICE presence at polling places for the upcoming midterm election, Voto Latino sounded the alarm on the dangers of normalizing voter intimidation tactics and warned that this will lay the groundwork for widespread suppression heading into November. Today, Secretary Noem refused to issue a directive ahead of the 2026 election.
There have been over 170 documented cases of U.S. citizens being caught within the administration’s dragnet of immigration law enforcement. Among those that have had their lives completely upended by DHS’ recklessness are Leonardo Garcia Venegas, Javier Ramirez, and Miramar Martinez, who were all present during today’s hearing. When being faced with these individuals, Secretary Noem used that moment to spread misinformation to mischaracterize innocent citizens that have been detained by federal immigration agents.
Despite Secretary Noem’s claims that ICE exclusively targets criminals, Senator Durbin highlighted the cases of Dreamers and U.S. citizens who have been detained and deported by the agency. He specifically confronted Secretary Noem for labeling Alex Pretti and Renee Good—both of whom died at the hands of ICE agents—as ‘domestic terrorists.’ Secretary Noem deflected the questioning and refused to retract the inflammatory labels she used to disparage these victims.
During the hearing, Senator Alex Padilla forcefully dispelled the false narratives advanced by Secretary Noem and the broader Trump administration. In his testimony, he underscored Secretary Noem’s recklessness, making clear that she is unfit to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Senator Padilla delivered a powerful statement, calling on Secretary Noem to resign or face impeachment.
Voto Latino stands firmly with Senator Padilla in calling for the impeachment of Secretary Noem. While testimony under oath is a critical first step toward transparency, it is not a substitute for true accountability. Our democracy depends on a Department of Homeland Security that operates within the bounds of the law; Congress must now exercise its full oversight authority to ensure Secretary Noem answers for the systemic abuses and failed leadership that have defined her tenure.
As we expect Kristi Noem to testify before the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow, we must make it clear that we will continue to resoundingly denounce her lies. Now more than ever, Voto Latino is committed to placing public pressure to ensure that this moment is met with much-needed accountability.
Tell your Representatives and Senators to support Rep. Robin Kelly’s articles of impeachment and remove Kristi Noem from office. Visit: Impeach Noem Now
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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 nearly 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.