Rep. Yassamin Ansari said that kicking Kristi Noem out as Homeland Security secretary is a big deal, something to celebrate, after Donald Trump said he fired Noem and picked Markwayne Mullin to replace her.
Trump announced on Thursday, amid much controversy over Noem’s tenure as Homeland Security secretary, including the approximately $220 million spent on promotional ads and ICE’s handling of immigration enforcement.
In the video, which was uploaded online, Rep. Yassamin Ansari said, “Big news, everyone. Kristi Noem was just fired or demoted. She’s no longer going to be the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which is a really big deal, something to celebrate.”
Ansari said that activists, including constituents who call their members of Congress, had been pushing for hearings on the Homeland Security secretary’s term. She said that without the activists, the move would have been impossible. She said, “None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you all, for the public pressure that’s been overwhelming that Donald Trump could not ignore. You all have been calling your members of Congress. Kristi Noem had to come testify.”
Ansari said that the Homeland Security secretary testified the previous day, during which the members of Congress questioned the ad campaign and whether Trump had approved the spending. According to Ansari, the Homeland Security secretary was caught in lies about the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on ads to put herself in them, as well as whether Donald Trump had personally approved the spending.
“BREAKING: Kristi Noem fired as DHS Secretary. Under Kristi Noem AND Donald Trump, ICE operated with ZERO accountability. The political cover may be gone, but accountability is just getting started.”
Ansari also criticized immigration enforcement under Noem, stating the agency was “terrorizing communities across the United States” and referencing situations in which U.S. citizens died. In contrast, immigration enforcement was underway.
“She needs to be held accountable for that,” Ansari said.
Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, was chosen by Trump to head the department. Ansari stated the decision would be subject to scrutiny, but the agency would need significant changes if it wants to gain more support from Congress.
“Markwayne Mullin will have to make dramatic changes if he wants to earn any support from anyone about ICE,” Ansari said.
The Arizona Democrat also discussed her bill, the Drain ICE Act, which would divert billions of dollars from ICE funds.
“There’s still an ongoing fight in the Senate over DHS funding,” she said. “We need to make sure that Democratic senators stay firm and don’t give another cent to ICE until there’s real negotiation.”
While stating Noem was fired, Ansari said the immigration enforcement and DHS policy battle was far from over.
“But Kristi Noem’s gone,” she said. “Thank God. It’s something to celebrate.”
