Washington — One day after Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) moved to subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over abuses by DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including reckless enforcement operations in Chicago such as Operation Midway Blitz, President Trump on March 5 removed Noem from her position as Secretary of Homeland Security and announced Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as her replacement. Following the announcement, Congressman Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement:

“Secretary Noem’s removal does not erase the abuses that occurred on her watch in the Trump administration. It only reinforces why Congress must continue demanding accountability. I commend Congresswoman Kelly for her leadership in introducing articles of impeachment against Secretary Noem as part of our broader efforts to expose these abuses and ensure that no one is above the law. By replacing Secretary Noem with Senator Mullin, President Trump is hoping to distract from reckless, militarized immigration raids, including Operation Midway Blitz, that have spread fear in communities across the country and left multiple people dead. Changing the name on the door will not change the policies, the abuses, or the Trump administration’s rejection of congressional oversight. The American people deserve a Department of Homeland Security that respects the rule of law and answers to the public. We must abolish Trump’s ICE.”

On March 4, Congressman Krishnamoorthi moved to subpoena Secretary Noem during a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, citing deadly shootings involving federal immigration agents, the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens, and DHS’s failure to respond to repeated congressional oversight requests. The motion was blocked by House Republicans as Krishnamoorthi vowed to hold the Trump Administration accountable.