WATCH: House Homeland Security hearing filled with tense exchanges

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

A U.S. House hearing on homeland security wasn’t void of drama Thursday as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem engaged in several tense exchanges with Democrats, while Republicans praised her efforts.

The House Committee on Homeland Security hosted the hearing titled, “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland.”

Despite the hearing focusing on the Department of Homeland Security’s focus on combating terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and illegal immigration, it was overshadowed by finger-pointing and criticism of the administration’s immigration enforcement, as well as the deployment of National Guard members to quell crime.

Early in the hearing, a pair of protesters had to be removed after disrupting a portion of Noem’s remarks; however, those paled in comparison to the dramatic exchange between the secretary and Democratic members, with some calling for her resignation.

“Your incompetence and your inability to truthfully carryout your duties as secretary of homeland security, if you’re not fired, will you resign?” Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., asked Noem.

The secretary responded, “I will consider your asking me to resign as an endorsement of my work.”

At one point, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., characterized the recent shooting of two National Guard members blocks from the White House, which killed one, as an “unfortunate accident.”

With Noem responding passionately, “do you think that was an unfortunate accident?” She went on to describe it as a “terrorist attack.” To which Thompson rephrased the shooting as an “unfortunate incident.”

To be sure, the Nov. 26 shooting hasn’t been officially ruled a terrorist attack; however, it is currently under investigation.

While Noem appeared to be on the defensive for half the hearing, fielding a range of questions, including about deportations and tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the secretary at times turned the tables on Democrats critical of her role as head of the agency, especially those who have accused ICE agents of acting like “secret police” or “gestapo.”

“We are a nation of laws. If we are not a nation of laws, we’re no nation at all … if you guys don’t like the law, change it. That’s your job. You don’t complain. I was raised by a dad who said we don’t complain about things we fix them,” Noem told the representatives. “It you don’t like the law, quit belly aching. Quit hitting and attacking our ICE officers. Quit going out and protesting and screaming vile things at them. Quit calling them names … Go do something that matters by having an honest debate and changing the law. That’s your job. You all should be fired in my viewpoint.”