WASHINGTON– A House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Thursday devolved into a sharp confrontation after Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar accused Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of defying federal court orders and misleading Congress and the public, allegations the cabinet secretary forcefully rejected.
During the hearing, Thanedar accused Noem of violating sworn testimony given earlier this year, directly alleging dishonesty. “Secretary Noem, you lied to me under oath that day. You lied to the American people, and you have betrayed the trust placed upon you in your role as Secretary of Homeland Security,” he said.
Thanedar, the only Indian American member of the House Homeland Security Committee, pointed to deportation flights that continued despite court orders directing otherwise. He cited flights to El Salvador in March, alleging that the Department of Homeland Security failed to comply with judicial rulings. “You defied federal court orders when you refused to order the deportation flights to El Salvador in March to turn around,” he said, adding that courts had deemed DHS actions unlawful.
Pressing the secretary on compliance, Thanedar asked why DHS claimed to be following court orders when, in his view, it was not. Noem dismissed the accusation outright. “Congressman, the Department of Homeland Security and this administration comply with all federal court orders. We always have and we always will,” she said.
Noem argued that while DHS follows court orders, it also has the right to challenge rulings through the appeals process. She said the department would continue to appeal adverse decisions and claimed strong results at the Supreme Court level, citing what she described as a success rate of more than 90 percent against what she called “activist judges.”
The exchange intensified when Thanedar accused federal immigration authorities of detaining U.S. citizens. He cited what he said were at least 170 cases this year involving citizens being arrested or detained. Noem again rejected the claim, saying DHS has never detained or deported American citizens, and that individuals may be briefly held during enforcement actions until their identities are confirmed.
As the back-and-forth grew more heated, Thanedar repeatedly interrupted Noem’s responses, disputing her statements and accusing the department of continued noncompliance with court orders. “Do you plan on ignoring more federal orders?” he asked.
“We always comply with all federal court orders,” Noem replied.
The confrontation ended with Thanedar demanding accountability, saying the public deserved the truth and asking whether Noem would resign if she was not removed from office. Noem responded sharply, saying she would take the request as “an endorsement” of her work.
The exchange prompted strong reactions from other lawmakers. Democrats accused Noem of evading congressional oversight, while Republicans said the criticism amounted to undermining law enforcement efforts. Tensions escalated further when Democratic members objected to Noem leaving the hearing before all questions were completed, prompting calls for her to be subpoenaed to return. Ranking Member Bennie Thompson said her early departure showed “no respect for Congressional oversight.”
The committee later voted along party lines to table a motion to compel Noem’s return.
The clash underscored the deep partisan divide over immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump’s second term, with ongoing disputes among the courts, Congress and the executive branch over authority and compliance. Although the hearing was intended to focus on global threats, immigration policy dominated the proceedings from start to finish. (Source: IANS)
