House Democrats hold 'shadow hearings' as they build case to impeach Kristi Noem

House Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee say they've been quietly advancing their impeachment investigation into Secretary Kristi Noem for weeks as a last-resort response to unanswered calls for transparency - even as a growing number of Republicans call for their own investigations into immigration operations.

Without control of the committee, Democrats will hold "shadow hearings" to further their case against Noem, a source familiar with their plans told Fox News Digital.

"We've had two so far; other committees have as well," the source said.

DHS, responding to an inquiry for Fox News Digital, called Democrats' focus misplaced.

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"DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don't like those laws, changing them is literally their job. While ICE officers are facing a staggering 1,300% spike in assaults, too many politicians would rather defend criminals and attack the men and women who are enforcing our laws and did nothing while Joe Biden facilitated an invasion of tens of millions of illegal aliens into our country," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

"It's time they focus on protecting the American people, the work this Department is doing every day under Secretary Noem's leadership," she added.

In the wake of a confrontation during Homeland Security operations in Minnesota that left Alex Pretti, 37, dead, Democrats are demanding more scrutiny of the agency, which operates Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Noem over the second fatal civilian shooting in under a month.

According to DHS officials, agents used lethal force in self-defense.

In the view of Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, that characterization fails to explain why it happened.

"For months, Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee have tried to get answers. We have sent letters. And we have called for investigations. Every single one of those efforts has been stonewalled by the Trump administration and ignored by Republicans in Congress," Johnson said of requests for information on ICE agent conduct.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., confirmed that Democrats would spearhead impeachment efforts if President Donald Trump didn't fire Noem.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Jeffries said in a statement Tuesday.

Democrats have zeroed in on Noem as the focal point of their outrage over ICE operations, while a growing number of Republicans are calling for a ground-level investigation into the agency's conduct.

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On Tuesday, the Homeland Security Committee announced that it would hear testimony from ICE Director Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott and other immigration officials on Feb. 10.

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., on Tuesday joined a growing group of Republicans supporting a closer look at immigration officials and their conduct, saying that investigation efforts are "providing crucial information to lawmakers and the American people."

"Public trust in our law enforcement agents is vital to their successful enforcement of our laws. This is why I also support the review the administration is conducting into the shooting in Minneapolis," Guest said.

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Guest added that he still stands by other Republicans in their support of law enforcement.

"As a former prosecutor, I fully support the men and women of DHS who are working to remove criminal aliens from our streets," Guest added.

Other Republicans also voiced their concern about the Minnesota shooting, which was captured on video by several bystanders.

"After seeing several angles, this clearly requires an in-depth investigation," Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, wrote in a post to X.

"In my review, I did not see anything that supported the characterization of Alex Pretti 'brandishing' a firearm. Government officials can best serve the public when we don't rush to make judgments before reviewing all the evidence," Moore said.

Democrats like Johnson believe that concern is too little, too late.

"Unfortunately, it took multiple American citizens to be murdered by ICE and the U.S. government for Republicans to demand testimony from the leadership of ICE, CBP and USCIS before the House Homeland Security Committee," Johnson said.

"Regardless of whether we are in the minority or not, we will continue to expose the power being abused, the constitutional rights being trampled, and work to rein in a Department of Homeland Security that has gone completely rogue. The American people are fed up with lies and lawlessness from Secretary Noem."

Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., who also sits on the Homeland Security Committee, echoed Johnson's thinking by narrowing his concern to Noem and her leadership.

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"Due to Kristi Noem's failed leadership, American citizens are dead, innocent children are in prison and the civil rights of American citizens are being violated daily," Magaziner said.

"We can enforce immigration laws in this country without this level of chaos and incompetence, and the conduct of Secretary Noem must be investigated thoroughly," Magaziner added.

In announcing the February hearing, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., said he believed the testimony would help reduce political tensions over the conduct of ICE and DHS.

"Transparency and communication are needed to turn the temperature down. Thank you to Secretary Noem and the Department of Homeland Security for making these witnesses available, and I look forward to receiving their testimony," Garbarino said.