ICYMI: Vice Chair Ciscomani Questions DHS Secretary Kristi Noem About Morale and Recruitment and the Need to Streamline the Immigration System

Ciscomani questioned Secretary Noemabout morale and recruitment numbers within the DHS and the need to facilitate pathways for legal immigration. For full clips and excerpts of the hearing, please see below. Excerpts have been edited for length and clarity.

Ciscomani questions Secretary Noem about morale and recruitment numbers at the DHS.

Ciscomani: Do you mind just speaking of the morale of the agents and your efforts on recruiting and retention? I think that goes hand in hand with the technology piece as well. 

Secretary Noem: The morale of the Department of Homeland Security agencies and departments and the employees that work there is fantastic. We have incredible numbers in recruitment. People who want to be a part of the agency are signing up and submitting applications. I referenced earlier that CBP has over 50%. I believe it's 54% increase in recruitment ICE as well. Maintaining and excelling at its recruitment efforts and getting officers and people who want to be a part of the team or are coming out of retirement. We have the Coast Guard at 108% increase in its recruitment… And then you look at the Secret Service because of the recruitment efforts that we've had in putting those agents back on focusing on hiring expertise, hiring experience instead of DEI programs, the Secret Service recruitment is up almost 200%. The applications we've gotten have been fantastic by telling our story and that they can be a part of an agency that protects the most powerful [people] in the world. It truly has been inspirational. So I believe that some of the narrative that the Democrats have used to attack the Department of Homeland Security just simply isn't true. The people that are wanting to come and work for us are inspirational and they're true Americans.

Ciscomani discusses his immigration story and questions Secretary Noem about the need to facilitate legal immigration pathways.

Ciscomani: As an immigrant myself, I know how complex the immigration system is. I became a citizen in 2006, and then 16 years later, I became a member of Congress. No other country in the world would give you that opportunity. I believe in the American dream and fighting for that American dream that so many people still seek. There's been much media attention again, on the increase in deportations and removal of aliens, which I remain fully supportive of. That being said, I think we should also be highlighting and incentivizing those who are going through the process legally…and make that process less burdensome in order to disincentivize the use of cartels and bad actors. In my family's experience, it took us 13 years from the moment we came into the US to the moment we became US citizens. There have to be some improvements around these guidelines. So can you speak on how your budget request will facilitate easier legal pathways for potential immigrants?

Secretary Noem: Yeah, absolutely. And you've correctly identified it. Part of the problem that we've had in this country for many years is that it takes far too long for a person to legally come through our immigration process and to become a U.S. citizen. And that needs to be fixed… We need to make sure that we're getting more immigration judges. I've been having conversations with our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and with the Department of Justice on what we can do to get more judges to the table so that we can process not just backlogged claims, but illegal [sic] applications to come to this country as well, and then more immigration courts. So when you look at not just the Fiscal Year 26 request, but also reconciliation dollars, it is to address the needs that we have to address the invasion, secure the border, to make sure that our ICE officers have enough backup, help, equipment and tools going forward to make sure that we're addressing what has happened here criminally and illegally, but also addressing within our other agencies what we can do to make sure that we're processing those legal applications. President Trump is determined to do that, and we have that addressed in the budget request from the different Cabinet secretaries and agencies to make sure we have the resources to start getting after that backlog.

Watch Ciscomani's entire first round of questions here. 

Watch Ciscomani's entire second round of questions here. 

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