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By Jason Lemon
Deputy News Director
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An impeachment effort against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will "move forward," members of Congress are promising, after the effort was announced last week in the wake of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shooting a United States citizen in Minneapolis.
"We're gonna move forward to impeach Kristi Noem," Representative Angie Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, vowed during an interview with MS Now on Sunday.
A spokesperson for DHS previously told Newsweek that the Democratic effort is "silly," citing data that ICE agents are facing a significant "increase in assaults." Newsweek reached out to DHS for additional comment on Monday morning.
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Why It Matters
The shooting death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good at the hands of a federal agent identified as Jonathan E. Ross in Minneapolis on January 7 has sparked criticism and scrutiny from the public and officials over the conduct of ICE agents. Others have pushed back on this, saying that the agent was acting in self-defense.
The Democratic impeachment effort is unlikely to pass in the Republican-controlled House and would face an even tougher path to success in the GOP-controlled Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required for conviction.
What To Know
In an interview with MS Now anchor Ali Velshi over the weekend, Craig commented on Good's death, saying "none of this makes sense." She then vowed that Democrats would "move forward" with plans to impeach Noem.
Separately, Representative Delia Ramirez, an Illinois Democrat, told MS NOW The Weekend that Noem is "incompetent in her entire job." She added, "What happened this week has positioned more people to say enough is enough. We need the hearings on her impeachable offenses and we need a successful strategy to impeach her as quickly as possible."
The Democratic lawmakers' remarks came after Democratic Representative Robin Kelly of Illinois announced plans last Wednesday to push for the DHS secretary's impeachment, citing Noem's oversight of ICE operations in the aftermath of the deadly shooting in Minnesota.
"Secretary Kristi Noem is an incompetent leader, a disgrace to our democracy, and I am impeaching her," Kelly said in a press release.
After Kelly announced the plan on Wednesday, fellow Illinois Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi quickly said he'd back the impeachment effort. Representative Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat, has since joined as a cosponsor of Kelly’s impeachment articles as well.
In a press release, Kelly's office said that the three articles of impeachment would allege Noem "abused her office for personal benefit and steered federal dollars to associates," "willfully obstructed Congressional oversight and withheld Congressionally appropriated funds in violation of her constitutional oath and federal law" and "compromised public safety, violated due process of American citizens, and directed unconstitutional actions."
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What Happened in Minneapolis
Numerous videos have emerged in the aftermath of Ross shooting and killing Good, a mother of three, while she drove in her vehicle. Noem and DHS have alleged that Good struck Ross and was using her vehicle as a weapon, describing the incident as "domestic terrorism."
Local officials and national Democrats, however, have strongly disputed this description of events, citing the video as showing Good was attempting to drive away. Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the accusations against Good as "bulls***," and called for ICE to "get the f*** out" of his city.
Protesters have rallied in the city—and in others nationwide—in the wake of Good's death.
Good was born in Colorado and had recently moved to Minnesota. Public records show no criminal history beyond a traffic ticket.
On social media, Good described herself as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.” Her Instagram bio said she was “experiencing Minneapolis” and featured a pride flag emoji. A Pinterest profile photo shows her smiling with a young child pressed to her cheek, alongside posts about tattoos, hairstyles and home décor.
"Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow. Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole," her wife, Becca Good, said in a statement to MPR News last week.
What People Are Saying
A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek on the impeachment plan: "How silly during a serious time. As ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, Rep. Kelly is more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually cleaning up her crime-ridden Chicago district. We hope she would get serious about doing her job to protect American people, which is what this Department is doing under Secretary Noem."
Kristi Noem to Fox News Sunday this past weekend: "It's really, really horrific that we have elected officials that are using this as an opportunity to divide, using this to promote an agenda that fundamentally would take away our freedoms and our liberties in this country,"
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a statement given to Newsweek about Good's killing: "Before all the facts were even known, Secretary Noem was already accusing the victim of domestic terrorism. The preliminary video evidence tells a very different story, one where deadly violence could easily have been avoided."
What Happens Next
It's unclear when and how the articles of impeachment will proceed in the House; however, they are unlikely to succeed given the current dynamics of the legislative body. Protests against ICE and the Trump administration are expected to continue in Minnesota and across the country.
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