Moderate Sen. Jacky Rosen urges Noem’s impeachment as Dem fury grows over Minneapolis shooting

Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen has called for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of attempting to “mislead the American public” about the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old protester in Minneapolis.

Rosen, a moderate Democrat from Nevada who participated in bipartisan efforts to end last year’s 43-day government shutdown, issued a statement to The Associated Press describing Noem as “an abject failure” at leading the Department of Homeland Security. She characterized Noem’s conduct as “deeply shameful” and insisted she “must be impeached and removed from office immediately.”

The senator’s demand comes amid escalating outrage from congressional Democrats over recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis that turned deadly. More than 100 House Democrats now support a resolution to launch impeachment proceedings against Noem, though fewer Senate colleagues have publicly joined the call.

“The abuses of power we’re seeing from ICE are the latest proof that she has lost control over her own department and staff,” Rosen stated, highlighting concerns that extend beyond the recent violence.

While impeachment proceedings remain unlikely in the Republican-controlled Congress, the Democratic backlash threatens to derail Senate Republican leaders’ plans to quickly pass comprehensive spending legislation and avoid a partial government shutdown on January 30.

The political landscape has shifted dramatically following the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis. Alex Pretti, 37, was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday, while Renee Good was killed on January 7. These incidents have transformed the immigration debate, galvanizing even moderate Democrats who had previously been cautious about criticizing the Trump administration’s border policies.

Controversy has intensified around Noem’s swift defense of the Border Patrol agent who shot Pretti. Without awaiting a complete investigation, Noem claimed Pretti arrived at the scene “to impede a law enforcement operation” and to “inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.”

However, video footage reviewed by the Associated Press appears to contradict the administration’s assertion that shots were fired “defensively” as Pretti “approached” agents with a gun. According to these videos, Pretti appears to be holding only a phone when confronted. While authorities later discovered he possessed a licensed 9mm semiautomatic handgun, they did not confirm whether he had brandished the weapon before agents fired multiple shots, including into his back.

In her statement, Rosen cited additional concerns beyond the ICE operations, including allegations that Noem “violated the public trust by wasting millions in taxpayer dollars” on self-promotion. The senator referenced reports that the Coast Guard purchased two luxury jets worth $172 million during Noem’s tenure.

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, considered more progressive than Rosen, had previously called for impeachment proceedings against Noem, accusing her of “orchestrating on the streets of our country this almost vigilantism on the part of ICE agents terrorizing cities all across the country.”

Several moderate Democratic senators who had joined Rosen in voting to reopen the government last year have now pledged to oppose Homeland Security funding this week, even if it risks a government shutdown. Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto accused DHS of “brutalizing U.S. citizens and law-abiding immigrants,” while Virginia Senator Tim Kaine remarked that “we are not living in normal times.”

Some Republican senators, including Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, have called for a thorough investigation into the shooting, breaking with the administration’s immediate defense of the incident.

In the House, Democratic support for Noem’s impeachment has grown following a conference call with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison. According to sources familiar with the private discussion, most participating lawmakers advocated for impeachment proceedings.

New York Representative Laura Gillen, one of just seven House Democrats who voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security last week, reversed her position on Sunday, stating that “Secretary Noem must be impeached immediately” because “she is not focused on safety or border security; she’s focused on chaos and self-promotion, undermining local law enforcement and stoking violence as a result.”