WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who heads the agency central to President Donald Trump's mass deportations agenda, is expected to face fierce questioning from Democrats on Thursday as the public face of the Republican administration's hard-line approach to immigration.
It has been months since Noem last appeared in Congress in May. Since then, immigration enforcement operations, especially in Los Angeles and Chicago, have
become increasingly contentious, with federal agents and activists frequently clashing over her department's tactics.
Noem is testifying in front of the House Committee on Homeland Security to discuss “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland,” which in years past have focused on issues such as cybersecurity, terrorism, China and border security. With Noem having made only a few appearances before Congress when she is leading Trump's signature policy area, Thursday's appearance is likely to focus heavily on immigration.
Trump returned to power in January with what he says is a mandate to reshape immigration in the U.S., claiming the country is under an invasion.
In the months since, the number of people in immigration detention has skyrocketed; the administration has continued to remove migrants to countries they are not from; and, in the wake of an Afghan national being accused of shooting two National Guard troops, Noem’s department has dramatically stepped up checks and screening of immigrants in the U.S.
The worldwide threats hearing, usually held annually, is an opportunity for members of Congress to ask the leaders of the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center about threats facing the U.S. and what their agencies are doing to address them.
Noem's department is under particular scrutiny because Congress in July passed legislation giving it roughly $165 billion to carry out its mass deportations agenda and secure the border. The department is getting more money to hire 10,000 more deportation officers, complete the wall between the U.S. and Mexico and increase detention and removal of foreigners from the country.
The secretary's appearance also comes as a federal judge is investigating whether she should face a contempt charge over flights carrying migrants to El Salvador.
Noem will also likely have to answer to criticism from Democrats who accuse immigration enforcement agents of erroneously detaining and arresting American citizens in their rush to deport as many people in the country illegally as possible. Homeland Security says agents carrying out immigration enforcement operations do not target or arrest American citizens for immigration reasons although they say they have arrested Americans for allegedly interfering in enforcement operations.
And a number of the Democratic members of the committee are part of a lawsuit accusing Noem and the department of limiting their access to Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities.
Also attending Thursday’s hearing are Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and Michael Glasheen, operations director of the national security branch of the FBI.
Previous hearings have included questions on cybersecurity, China, chemical security and drones. Under President Joe Biden, at times of heavy migration at the southern border, Republicans often focused their questioning on his Democratic administration's handling of border security.
When the hearing was announced in September, the Republican committee chair said that besides Noem and Kent, FBI Director Kash Patel would also be attending. But instead the FBI is being represented by Glasheen.
