Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was targeted by Democrats on Wednesday for her “photo ops and costume changes,” handling of deportations, and views on due process and habeas corpus.
Noem was testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee about her department’s fiscal 2026 budget, but talk quickly turned to immigration with fiery back-and-forths with Democrats.
Ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) started things off by thanking Noem for finding time “among your many photo ops and costume changes to testify about why President [Donald] Trump is seeking more taxpayer dollars, and what you plan to do with that money if you get it.”
Noem made headlines for showing up at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and other Department of Homeland Security missions in tactical gear. In January, she posted a picture on X in full glam wearing a bulletproof vest and an ICE baseball cap. A month later, she was on horseback and wearing a cowboy hat when she took a Fox News reporter out to film a segment at the U.S.-Mexico border.
She has also hopped into the cockpit of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules surveillance plane wearing an aviator jacket, put on a firefighter’s uniform, and most recently was roasted when she inadvertently aimed a gun at a law enforcement officer’s head in a video she posted on X.
Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) also took a shot at Noem’s fondness for photo ops and for what he said was a lack of access to legal counsel.
“You are deporting children with cancer, children who are U.S. citizens, a gay makeup artist who committed no crime and didn’t even enter the country illegally,” Magaziner said. “Instead of focusing on real criminals, you have allowed innocent children to be deported while you fly around the country playing dress-up for the cameras.”
Noem was also pressed on due process at the hearing.
She testified that DHS is following all federal court orders and that “everybody has gotten due process,” though she later claimed due process does not “guarantee a hearing.”
“We have utilized due process as it’s laid out in the tools Congress has given us,” she repeatedly said.
She also testified that she believes recent levels of illegal immigration could give the Trump administration enough legal standing to suspend habeas corpus, the right someone has to challenge their detention. She claimed she was not a constitutional lawyer but believed it qualified.
During the hearing, Noem had a particularly testy exchange with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).
Noem repeatedly refused to answer whether a photo of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, which was used by Trump to claim Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang, was doctored.
“Madam Secretary, I have a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 3-year-old,” he said. “I have a bulls*** detector. I’m just asking you, is this doctored or not doctored?”
Noem tried to explain the protocols of deportation but was interrupted by Swalwell, who repeatedly asked, “Can you just answer the question?”
Noem replied, “I don’t have any knowledge as to that photo you are pointing to.”
Swalwell then asked a member of his staff to bring the photo, which had been blown up to poster size, to Noem, who refused to look at it.
“Are you saying Abrego Garcia is not a wife-beater, that he’s not a criminal, that he’s not a human trafficker, he’s not a member of MS-13?” Noem asked.
“It is so telling that you will not look at the photo. Was it doctored or not? Can you look to the right?” Swalwell later said.
“We will not be bringing him back,” Noem responded.
“Can you look to the right at the photo in front of you?” Swalwell asked.
The photo is of Abrego Garcia’s left hand. Trump has alleged that Abrego Garcia “had ‘MS-13’ tattooed onto his knuckles.”
NOEM REFUSES TO ANSWER WHETHER PICTURES OF KILMAR ABREGO GARCIA WAS DOCTORED
The image shows the characters “M,” “S,” “1,” and “3” digitally added above Abrego Garcia’s existing tattoos — a leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull — along with labels describing each symbol beneath.
Many people recognized the labels as digitally added and alleged they were designed to appear as part of Abrego Garcia’s actual tattoos. They accused the Trump administration of trying to mislead the public.