Tillis threatens to block nominations until Noem responds to ICE queries

Driving the news: At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, Tillis berated Noem over stalled FEMA funding and agency responses, including for hurricane recovery in northwest North Carolina, and his outstanding request for information on Operation Charlotte's Web, a surge of immigration officers in Charlotte last fall.

• "As of today, I'll be informing leadership that I'm putting a hold on any en bloc nominations until I get a response," Tillis said in a fiery speech.
• "And in two weeks, if I don't get a response, I'm going to deny quorum and mark up in as many committees as I can until I get a response."

Zoom out: Tillis also submitted to the committee a letter from the Office of the Inspector General that claims Noem has misled or stopped investigations on 10 different matters.

• Noem didn't immediately respond to the accusation during Tuesday's hearing.

• "Does anybody have any idea how bad it has to be for the OIG in this agency to come out and do this publicly. That is stonewalling, that's a failure of leadership, and that is why I've called for your resignation," Tillis said.

Context: In his final year in office, Tillis is becoming a stumbling block for the Trump administration.

• He has also said he will oppose President Trump's nominee to chair the Federal Reserve while the DOJ has an ongoing investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

Go deeper: Noem tightens her grip on DHS