House Republicans fume at Kristi Noem as impeachment push looms
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Homeland Security Security Kristi Noem at the White House on Jan. 15. Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Frustration with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is mounting among House Republicans over her response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Why it matters: They soon could soon be forced to go on the record about whether they still support Noem if Democrats move to force a vote on impeachment.
- For vulnerable Republicans, the prospect of an impeachment vote tied to immigration enforcement efforts would be particularly painful.
Driving the news: Dozens of House Republicans are publicly pushing for more oversight and answers about Pretti's shooting. Privately, frustration with Noem has been building for months.
- Saturday's killing, and the botched messaging that followed, was a breaking point for some lawmakers, multiple aides told Axios.
- When President Trump dispatched White House Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota on Monday, droves of Republicans went out of their way to praise the move — a subtle rebuke of Noem.
- While no House Republicans have publicly called for her resignation, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called on Noem to resign on Tuesday.
Between the lines: Some moderate Republicans have expressed unease with the administration's enforcement efforts.
- Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and his Problem Solvers Caucus co-chair, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to President Trump on Tuesday asking for a meeting on immigration and border security amid the public's growing "rejection" of immigration enforcement efforts.
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), another vulnerable member, wrote that the shootings of Pretti and Renee Good "show that what the country has been doing is not working," in a sharply worded op-ed Tuesday. Lawler also called for immigration reform.
- "Hispanics are leaving the GOP in large numbers, and pretending otherwise won't fix it. As Republicans, we must reverse course and act now," Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) said Wednesday. She has long been pushing for comprehensive immigration reform.
The other side: "DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don't like those laws, changing them is literally their job," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
The intrigue: Democrats see an opening with Republicans who have been critical of the administration's handling of the shooting.
- Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), who is leading the impeachment effort, is planning outreach to Republican offices, her spokesperson told Axios.
The bottom line: For the majority of House Republicans, loyalty to Trump matters most.
- Trump defended Noem on Tuesday, saying she's doing a "very good job." He also called Murkowski and Tillis "losers" and "terrible senators" in an interview with ABC News.
- Members wary of incurring Trump's wrath (which is most of the conference) are unlikely to side with Democrats.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
Axios' Andrew Solender contributed
