DHS Secretary Noem Fired after Exchange with Congressman Cohen on Wednesday
At Judiciary Committee markup on forcing states to enforce immigration law earlier today, he had called again for Secretary Noem’s impeachment
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to fire Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a day after she appeared before the Judiciary Committee at an oversight hearing. In yesterday’s hearing, Congressman Cohen challenged Secretary Noem on her claim that she was deporting “the worst of the worst.” In remarks at this morning’s markup, Congressman Cohen followed up on his line of questioning, explaining why local law enforcement agencies decline to cooperate with an “out of control” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. The legislation being considered would force state and local governments to enforce federal immigration law. He again called for Noem’s firing, impeachment or resignation.
In response to the announced firing of Noem, Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“Even Donald Trump saw the need to end this 14-month horror show. Noem was in over her head and remained unaccountable until the end. The department has serious work ahead in any attempt to restore its credibility. After killing Americans and destroying the lives of millions of immigrants and their families, Noem’s removal could not come soon enough. ICE is out of control and reports that her department obstructed its own Trump-appointed inspector general’s efforts to root out wrongdoing underscored Secretary Noem’s lawlessness, cruelty and corruption. She may leave office, but she will not be able to escape the accountability from Congress and the American people. Noem’s successor, Senator Markwayne Mullin, should absorb the many lessons to be learned from her failed tenure.”
In his remarks at today’s markup, Congressman Cohen said in part:
“There are reasons why cities don’t want to cooperate with ICE. ICE has become recognized as the worst agency in this government. They have no respect for citizens. They do not act like law enforcement. Law enforcement acts with regard to people and to serve them. They wear badges. They have their names on their uniforms. They don’t have masks on. They don’t just come up and break your window and pull you out. And they don’t shoot you in the face or shoot you in the back ten times when you’ve done nothing wrong, certainly nothing violent. They did nothing wrong – Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti – nothing that a law enforcement officer would kill them for because they can only use deadly force under certain circumstances
“ICE has gotten totally out of control and this committee needs to do something about it…It’s not really law enforcement; it’s a paramilitary group…We have a paramilitary group operating in our streets in America, taking peoples’ rights away and killing them without oversight, and absolutely it’s Ms. Noem’s fault.
“She needs to be impeached if she doesn’t resign…She’s a discredit to this government and to her president.”
In his remarks, Congressman Cohen discussed the human toll of these policies, including the arrest and detention of an Afghan family of four in Memphis.
See Congressman Cohen’s entire remarks here.
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