Rep. Robert Garcia stated impeachment proceedings would quickly be launched if U.S. Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem doesn’t resign or isn’t fired “within the days forward.”
The Lengthy Seaside Democrat was not too long ago tapped by Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries to co-lead a doable impeachment inquiry into Noem.
Garcia didn’t specify a date for when Home Democrats would make good on their publicly acknowledged plans, however the rating member of the Home Oversight Committee doubled down on his criticisms of Noem following two deadly shootings in Minnesota this month associated to immigration enforcement actions.
“What is going on throughout this nation is unacceptable,” Garcia stated, addressing reporters on the Lengthy Seaside Civic Middle on Friday, Jan. 30. He stated Renee Good and Alex Pretti — two U.S. residents who opposed the Trump administration’s immigration insurance policies and had been subsequently shot and killed by federal regulation enforcement officers — had been “murdered by our personal authorities.”
Rep. Robert Garcia speaks throughout a press convention addressing his function within the Home Democrats’ impeachment effort of U.S. Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem in Lengthy Seaside on Friday, January 30, 2026. (Photograph by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Rep. Robert Garcia speaks throughout a press convention addressing his function within the Home Democrats’ impeachment effort of U.S. Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem in Lengthy Seaside on Friday, January 30, 2026. (Photograph by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Requested if he believes there are sufficient votes within the Republican-controlled Home and Senate to question Noem, Garcia stated Republicans usually acquiesce to President Donald Trump, however he stated some at the moment are talking out about Noem.
“I’d hope that Republican members of Congress would hearken to their very own unbiased and Republican constituents that proper now are displaying us, in polling and different locations, that also they are horrified about what’s taking place,” Garcia stated.
“Kristi Noem ought to be eliminated by Congress, and we’re hopeful it is going to be a bipartisan vote,” he added.
Greater than 150 members of Congress — all Democrats — had signed onto a Home decision calling for the impeachment of Noem “for prime crimes and misdemeanors” as of Friday afternoon.
“The nonfeasance by the Trump administration to rein in ICE’s rogue, inhumane conduct is a betrayal of the American individuals and our elementary values. Nobody is above the regulation, particularly those that are entrusted with implementing it,” Rep. Derek Tran, D-Orange, stated Friday in a information launch signaling his assist of the impeachment decision.
Noem has been criticized for describing each Good’s encounter with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and Pretti’s interplay with federal immigration officers at a protest as “home terrorism.” Shortly after the second capturing, Noem instructed reporters that Pretti approached officers with a gun, which movies have since contradicted.
Requested by Fox Information host Sean Hannity if her assertion had been untimely, Noem stated Thursday that the state of affairs proper after the capturing was “very chaotic” and that she had relied on “the perfect data we had on the time” from Border Patrol brokers and different officers on the scene.
A Division of Homeland Safety spokesperson didn’t reply to a request for remark Friday concerning the Home Democrats’ plans to launch impeachment proceedings.
The White Home press workplace, when requested if Trump nonetheless supported Noem, referred to feedback the president made this week expressing his ongoing assist for the DHS secretary.
“I believe she’s doing an excellent job. The border is completely safe,” Trump instructed reporters.
On the similar time, members of Congress on either side of the aisle have recommended that there be a change in management at Homeland Safety.
“What she’s finished in Minnesota ought to be disqualifying. She ought to be out of a job,” stated Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina.
“I believe the president wants to take a look at who he has in place as a secretary of Homeland Safety,” stated Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. “It most likely is time for her to step down.”
Domestically, two California state lawmakers — each Democrats from Lengthy Seaside — joined Garcia throughout Friday’s information convention in criticizing the aggressive nature of federal immigration enforcement operations below the Trump administration.
Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal stated ICE hasn’t made communities safer and calls to abolish the company aren’t radical.
“What’s radical is sustaining an company that constantly violates human rights after which acts shocked when belief in authorities is eroded,” Lowenthal stated.
State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, who’s co-sponsoring laws to permit people to sue federal brokers for alleged constitutional violations, stated, “There isn’t a such factor as full immunity.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
