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By Jason Lemon and Jack Beresford
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More than three-quarters of House Democrats are backing a resolution to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem after a federal agent shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday—bringing the total number of co-sponsors to 140.
The effort to impeach Noem was first introduced by Democratic 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. With outrage growing toward ICE and DHS in the wake of the second killing of a U.S. citizen over the weekend, the effort from Democrats to impeach Noem has ramped up despite what many see as unlikely success in the Republican-controlled Congress.
House Democratic leaders issued a warning directly to President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
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"Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and his leadership deputies, Representatives Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California said in a joint statement..
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek on Monday morning that the federal agency "enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don't like those laws, changing them is literally their job."
Essential reading: Is ICE Really Targeting the Worst of the Worst?
Why It Matters
The killing of Pretti appears to have added new energy to Democrats' push to impeach Noem, with many Democratic leaders and commentators coming out over the weekend to demand her impeachment or resignation in the wake of the new Minneapolis shooting. Noem and the Trump administration came out defending the officer's actions, while a number of prominent Republicans sounded demanded a full investigation.
Despite Democratic anger, the impeachment effort faces an uphill battle in the GOP-controlled House. Even if the impeachment were to succeed in the House, it would face an even more difficult path in the Republican-led Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required for conviction and removal from office.
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What To Know
At least 140 Democrats have co-sponsored Kelly's resolution to bring articles of impeachment against Noem. The resolution introduced earlier this month aims to impeach the Trump administration official for 1) "Obstruction of Congress," 2) "Violation of Public Trust," and 3) "Self-Dealing." Kelly introduced the impeachment articles on January 14 against Noem for "high crimes and misdemeanors."
The articles of impeachment will allege that Noem blocked congressional oversight of ICE and DHS facilities, as well as directed ICE to "make widespread warrantless arrests, forgo due process, and use violence against United States citizens, lawful residents, and other individuals." Additionally, they accuse Noem of "using her position to circumvent the Federal contracting process and funneling Federal funds to her friends' businesses."
Kelly said at a press conference that the Trump administration official "has brought her reign of terror to Chicago, LA, Minneapolis, and communities from north to south, east to west. She needs to be impeached for her actions."
"Secretary Noem has called my impeachment effort 'silly.' I want to tell her right now: You have violated your oath of office and there will be consequences. I am watching you. The American people are watching you. And most of all, we are not liking what we are seeing. If you believe impeachment is 'silly,' then you are not taking your job or our Constitution seriously," she said.
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 to 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, on X on 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 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."
Representative Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat, on X Monday: "Momentum is picking up as events in Minnesota have continued to deteriorate because of Secretary Noem's reckless actions and incendiary comments that are escalating tensions and putting the public and local law enforcement at serious risk of harm. Secretary Noem's so-called 'administrative warrant' authorizing DHS agents to enter private homes is flagrantly and brazenly unconstitutional. She is unfit for the powerful position she holds."
Representative Gil Cisneros, a California Democrat, on X Monday: "Secretary Kristi Noem's willful misconduct is violating the constitution and federal law and putting every single one of us in danger. Kristi Noem must be impeached—immediately—for the safety and security of America."
Full List of Democrats Sponsoring Kristi Noem Impeachment Effort
- Alma S. Adams of North Carolina
- Gabe Amo of Rhode Island
- Yassamin Ansari of Arizona
- Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts
- Becca Balint of Vermont
- Nanette Diaz Barragán of California
- Joyce Beatty of Ohio
- Don Beyer of Virginia
- 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
- Janelle Bynum of Oregon
- Salud O. Carbajal of California
- André Carson of Indiana
- Troy Carter of Louisiana
- Greg Casar of Texas
- Sean Casten of Illinois
- Kathy Castor of Florida
- Joaquin Castro of Texas
- Judy Chu of California
- Gil Cisneros of California
- Yvette D. Clarke of New York
- Steve Cohen of Tennessee
- Joe Courtney of Connecticut
- Jason Crow of Colorado
- Angie Craig of Minnesota
- Jasmine Crockett of Texas
- Danny K. Davis of Illinois
- Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania
- Diana DeGette of Colorado
- Suzan DelBene of Washington
- Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut
- Christopher R. Deluzio of Pennsylvania
- Mark DeSaulnier of California
- Maxine Dexter of Oregon
- Debbie Dingell of Michigan
- Lloyd Doggett of Texas
- Sarah Elfreth of Maryland
- Veronica Escobar of Texas
- Adriano Espaillat of New York
- Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania
- Shomari Figures of Alabama
- Lizzie Fletcher of Texas
- Bill Foster of Illinois
- 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
- Vicente Gonzalez of Texas
- Al Green of Texas
- Adelita S. Grijalva of Arizona
- Jahana Hayes of Connecticut
- Steven Horsford of Nevada
- Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania
- Steny Hoyer of Maryland
- 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
- Hank Johnson of Georgia
- Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California
- William R. Keating of Massachusetts
- Timothy M. Kennedy of New York
- Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois
- Greg Landsman of Ohio
- John B. Larson of Connecticut
- George Latimer of New York
- Summer L. Lee of Pennsylvania
- Susie Lee of Nevada
- Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico
- Mike Levin of California
- Sam Liccardo of California
- Zoe Lofgren of California
- Stephen F. Lynch of Massachusetts
- John Mannion of New York
- Doris O. Matsui of California
- Sarah McBride of Delaware
- April McClain Delaney of Maryland
- Jennifer McClellan of Virginia
- 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
- Grace Meng of New York
- Kweisi Mfume of Maryland
- Dave Min of California
- Gwen Moore of Wisconsin
- Kelly Morrison of Minnesota
- Seth Moulton of Massachusetts
- Frank Mrvan of Indiana
- Kevin Mullin of California
- Jerrold Nadler of New York
- Richard Neal of Massachusetts
- Joe Neguse of Colorado
- Donald Norcross of New Jersey
- Eleanor Holmes Norton of District of Columbia
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
- Johnny Olszewski of Maryland
- Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
- Chris Pappas of New Hampshire
- Nancy Pelosi of California
- Scott Peters of California
- Brittany Pettersen of Colorado
- Chellie Pingree of Maine
- Mark Pocan of Wisconsin
- Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
- Mike Quigley of Illinois
- Emily Randall of Washington
- Luz M. Rivas of California
- Deborah Ross of North Carolina
- Raul Ruiz of California
- Pat Ryan of New York
- Andrea Salinas of Oregon
- Linda T. Sánchez of California
- Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania
- Janice D. Schakowsky of Illinois
- Bobby Scott of Virginia
- Terri A. Sewell of Alabama
- Brad Sherman of California
- Lateefah Simon of California
- Adam Smith of Washington
- Eric Sorensen of Illinois
- Darren Soto of Florida
- Melanie A. Stansbury of New Mexico
- Haley M. Stevens of Michigan
- Marilyn Strickland of Washington
- 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
- Eugene Vindman of Virginia
- James Walkinshaw of Virginia
- Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida
- Maxine Waters of California
- Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey
- Nikema Williams of Georgia
- Frederica Wilson of Florida
What Happens Next
It's unclear when and how the articles of impeachment may proceed in the House; however, they are viewed as unlikely to succeed given the current dynamics of the legislative body.
Meanwhile, protests against DHS, ICE and the Trump administration are expected to continue in Minnesota and across the country.
Update 1/27/26, 7:56 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 1/27/26, 6:41 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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