Durbin Presses DHS Secretary Kristi Noem During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing

Durbin Presses DHS Secretary Kristi Noem During Senate Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing

Durbin questioned Secretary Noem about DHS's cruel immigration campaign, the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the shooting of Marimar Martinez, and disregarding the rule of law

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing. Durbin first pressed Secretary Noem about her labeling Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Marimar Martinez as "domestic terrorists," and refusing to apologize to their families. Both Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, and Ms. Martinez was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago.

"We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you were wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families. Let me give you an opportunity to do the right thing. Do you retract these statements identifying these individuals as 'domestic terrorists?'" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem refused to retract her statement.

"Where did you get that information? In a recent hearing before the HSGAC [the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs] Committee, CBP and ICE officials testified under oath that their agencies did not inform you that Pretti was a 'domestic terrorist,'" Durbin said.

Secretary Noem responded that she was getting information "on the ground." She continued to deflect and responded it was a "chaotic scene" in Minneapolis.

"You believe calling the victims in that violence [caused by ICE's aggressive presence in Minneapolis] 'domestic terrorists' as a way to calm the scene?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem again deflected and blamed the "chaos" in Minneapolis. Durbin noted that DHS has terrorized communities and caused this "chaos" by indiscriminately arresting people and wielding unnecessary and violent force against people, including American citizens.

"How did you think branding them as 'domestic terrorists' at that scene was somehow going to calm the situation?" Durbin again asked.

Secretary Noem refused to answer Durbin directly.

"Is it so hard to say you were wrong… and when you fail, do you admit it publicly?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem responded to Durbin's question by saying "absolutely," but didn't acknowledge that she was wrong in calling Ms. Good, Mr. Pretti, and Ms. Martinez "domestic terrorists."

Durbin then asked about DHS hiding the facts from the American public-specifically about deaths in ICE detention facilities. Geraldo Luna Campos died in immigration detention. DHS claimed he killed himself, but an independent medical examiner found his death was a homicide. Witnesses stated Mr. Campos was strangled by the guards at the detention facility. Instead of investigating this death, DHS tried to deport these witnesses. It took a judge intervening to ensure these fact witnesses remain in the country for an investigation to be conducted.

"Secretary Noem, who ordered those witnesses be deported?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem responded that she can't speak to the details of that case.

"Did you hear there was an effort to deport witnesses?" Durbin asked.

After Durbin pressed, Secretary Noem responded she wasn't aware but that she would look into it.

Durbin then asked about DHS defying or disregarding federal court orders in hundreds of immigration cases. Just last week, the Republican-appointed chief federal judge in Minnesota identified over 200 orders that ICE officials had violated in just the last two months. He wrote, quote, "[t]he court is not aware of another occasion in the history of the United States in which a federal court has had to threaten contempt-again and again and again-to force the United States government to comply with court orders." In a sworn declaration, the Trump Justice Department itself acknowledged that DHS has violated court orders more than 50 times in recent weeks in New Jersey alone.

"Secretary Noem, is DHS required to follow federal court orders?" Durbin asked.

Despite the Trump Justice Department stating that DHS has violated court orders more than 50 times, Secretary Noem responded that DHS does follow court orders.

"So, the judges are wrong?" Durbin asked.

To which Secretary Noem responded she "isn't saying they are wrong."

Durbin then asked about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals [DACA] program.

"Do you understand the people protected by DACA have to go through a background check which includes a criminal check? Yes or no?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem responded "yes."

Last week, DHS informed Durbin that last year, ICE arrested 261 DACA holders and deported 86. Durbin also learned about a DACA recipient who had lived in this country for decades who was arrested by ICE at her green card appointment. In tears, she hugged her daughter goodbye, and she was deported to Mexico within 24 hours.

"Madam Secretary, why have you deported dozens of DACA holders who [completed] a criminal background check [and] are eligible for DACA?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem responded that they follow all laws "as applicable to the Department of Homeland Security."

"Then why did you deport them?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem dodged the question and said she didn't know the details of the case. She continued to say she would "look into it." She again stated that DHS follows the law when it comes to who they detain and deport "back to their home country."

"You clearly violated the law if that is the case," Durbin responded. Although this Administration is working relentlessly to end the DACA program, for now, DACA holders are protected from deportation by a combination of federal regulations and court orders.

Durbin then pressed Secretary Noem about DHS not arresting the "worst of the worst" as President Trump claims. Less than 14 percent of the nearly 400,000 immigrants that ICE arrested during President Trump's first year back in office were individuals who had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses.

"It turns out that 85 percent of the people you've gone after have no [violent] criminal history… how do you explain that?" Durbin asked.

Although she was unable to dispute Durbin's statement, Secretary Noem responded that the number does not encompass crimes like DUIs. Public reporting shows that it does. Durbin asked her to verify that information.

Durbin then asked about Ruben Torres Maldonado's case. Mr. Torres Maldonado is an Illinoisan who has no criminal record. He is not one of the so called "worst of the worst." He spent most of his days working to support his daughter Ofelia, as she struggled to fight a rare and aggressive cancer. Instead of spending her last days with her family and friends, she was forced to fight to get her father out of immigration detention. She died recently at age 16, thankfully with her father by her side after he was able to win his immigration court case.

"Is that really necessary [to arrest and detain Mr. Torres Maldonado]? Was he a violent criminal?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Noem again deflected-refusing to acknowledge Durbin's question about a father who was detained while his daughter was dying of cancer.

Video of Durbin's questions in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin's questions in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin's questions in Committee is available herefor TV Stations.

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