by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
January 18, 2026
Kelly and his 70 co-sponsoring lawmakers have filed three articles of impeachment against Noem.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem may face criminal charges herself as lawmakers begin impeachment proceedings against her over ICE operations.
Democrat Robin Kelly introduced articles of impeachment against Noem on January 14th. In her filing, Kelly said Noem has unleashed a “reign of terror” in several cities across the country as ICE agents make arrests without warrants.
“Secretary Noem has brought her reign of terror to Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and communities from north to south, east to west. She must be impeached for her actions,” Kelly wrote in a statement initiating the impeachment proceedings.
The congresswoman filed three articles against Noem: obstruction of Congress, violation of the public trust and self-dealing. The first lawsuit related to Noem’s refusal to allow Kelly into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility even though she had clearance.
Noem was instrumental in directing federal agents into these neighborhoods, which led to numerous cases of violence and even the deaths of U.S. citizens. Kelly and the 70 co-sponsoring lawmakers also alleged that Noem improperly spent $200 million on an ICE recruitment advertising campaign, echoing the last article.
Noem has previously discredited Democrats’ impeachment threats. However, these lawmakers continue to insist on moving forward with impeachment, especially as the deployment of ICE agents continues across America.
“Secretary Noem has called my impeachment efforts silly. I want to tell her right now, Secretary Noem, you have broken your oath of office, and there will be consequences. I’m watching you. Members of Congress are watching you. The American people are watching you, most of all. And most of all, we don’t like what we see. If you think impeachment is silly, then you’re not taking your job or our Constitution seriously,” Kelly continued.
Notable members of Congress supported the impeachment charge, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose district includes Minneapolis, one of the key cities currently occupied by ICE agents. However, for the impeachment process to proceed, it must first be passed by a majority vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, making approval unlikely.
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