House Democrats scramble to grill Kristi Noem on Minnesota
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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testifies befoe the House Homeland Security Committee on Dec. 11, 2025. Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images
At least three Democratic committee ranking members are attempting to secure public testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The latest entreaty, from House Judiciary Committee Democrats, notes that this would be the first time a DHS official from the second Trump administration has appeared before their panel.
- "Not a single witness from DHS has appeared before this Committee during this Congress—not one," the Democrats wrote to Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in a letter first obtained by Axios, noting that the panel's website says it has jurisdiction over DHS.
- "We therefore request that the Committee immediately call DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to come testify before the full Committee about the conduct of federal agents in Minneapolis," wrote the lawmakers, led by Judiciary ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
- A spokesperson for Jordan did not respond to a request for comment.
State of play: The demand comes after Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrats on the Homeland Security and House Administration committees, similarly beseeched their panels' GOP chairs to call in Noem, as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi, for a hearing.
- The two lawmakers specifically wrote they want to question the two Trump administration officials about a letter Bondi sent to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz demanding he allow the DOJ to access his state's voter rolls.
- "The Committees must ensure the Administration does not use its immigration and law enforcement powers as a predicate to attack Americans' right to vote," Thompson and Morelle wrote.
- Noem is set to testify before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3.
Zoom out: Judiciary Democrats are demanding a hearing on the shootings of both Pretti and Renee Good, writing that "the American people are outraged by these cold-blooded killings, and we demand accountability."
- The push comes as House Democrats are increasingly rallying around articles of impeachment against Noem, with more than two-thirds of the caucus signing on as co-sponsors.
- Some Democrats, however, have long maintained they want to have an investigation before any impeachment vote takes place.
