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Corruption & Accountability · Report · File No. 261111-077

Democrats prepare to pursue fired DHS chief Noem when they take control of Congress

Trump fired Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary in March, but Democrats will gain subpoena power in January. Oversight of the department and immigration enforcement is set to continue.

By the Investigations Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (1) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem. Photo: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Public domain

Democrats who will run congressional committees in January are preparing to look into Kristi Noem's time leading the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). President Trump fired her on March 5, 2026 2. Democratic control of both chambers would give them committee control and subpoena authority, which is the power to legally demand documents and testimony, starting in January, according to a Nov. 10 newsletter report 3.

Trump announced the firing on social media, two days after Noem faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers 2. The criticism covered her handling of the immigration crackdown and disaster response 2. It also covered how her department spent billions of dollars Congress had provided 2. Two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by immigration officers in Minneapolis 2.

What Democrats have already asked for

On March 16, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrats on the Judiciary committees, asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Noem lied under oath 1. They pointed to her March 3 and March 4 congressional appearances 1.

They said she wrongly claimed DHS had not violated court orders. They also cited her statements about the bidding for a $220 million television ad campaign, the detention of U.S. citizens and detention conditions 1.

From Channel GOPRaskin says Trump cannot impound Congress's moneyJamie Raskin · 389 plays · captioned, with the source named
Dick Durbin
Those statements were false.
Dick Durbin, U.S. senator, Democrat-Illinois, and top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee (letter co-signed by Rep. Jamie Raskin)1

A DHS spokesperson said any claim that Noem committed perjury is false 1. A Justice Department spokesperson called the referral a political stunt 1. A congressional referral does not require the Justice Department to act, and the two Democrats acknowledged low expectations that it would 1.

What happens next

Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, sent DHS a Nov. 4 letter asking it to preserve records 3. It asked for written assurances by Nov. 11 and for documents by Dec. 2 3. Sen. Maggie Hassan is set to lead the Senate's homeland security panel 3.

Once Democrats hold the gavels, they can pursue those requests through hearings and subpoenas 3. The newsletter report says the probes could reach beyond Noem's DHS spending 3. That report is commentary, not an official announcement of a plan.

Trump said he would name Noem a special envoy for a new Western Hemisphere security effort, and he picked Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her 2. Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump's second term 2.

That matters because firing an official does not end questions about how public money was spent or whether Congress was told the truth. Noem has not been charged with anything, and allegations that she misled Congress remain allegations. With Republicans losing control of Congress, the people asking those questions will soon have the power to compel answers.

The Record

  1. Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and says he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin 2.
  2. Durbin and Raskin ask Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Noem lied under oath 1.
  3. Rep. Bennie Thompson asks DHS to preserve records, with assurances due Nov. 11 and documents due Dec. 2 3.
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Sources

  1. CNBC, “Durbin and Raskin call for perjury investigation into DHS' Kristi Noem” (2026-03-16). cnbc.com/2026/03/16/kristi-noem-durbin-raskin-perjury-invest
  2. AP via WHYY, “Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Noem after mounting criticism over her leadership” (2026-03-05). whyy.org/articles/homeland-security-secretary-kristi-noem-fi
  3. Bluestem Prairie (Northern Plains News), “Democrats gain power to investigate Noem and Miller over Minnesota killings” (2026-11-10). bluestemprairie.substack.com/p/democrats-gain-power-to-inves

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