House Democrats Threaten Impeachment of DHS Secretary Noem If Trump Won't Fire Her

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic leaders Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar said in a Jan. 27 joint statement that Democrats will commence impeachment proceedings if President Donald Trump does not fire Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to the statement.

The push follows the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent and the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, incidents marked by conflicting accounts from DHS and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, officials confirmed.

Rep. Robin Kelly introduced articles of impeachment on Jan. 14 and had 146 cosponsors as of Jan. 27, Kelly's spokesperson said, while Rep. Jamie Raskin urged House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan to immediately commence impeachment proceedings, according to Raskin's statement.

The House Democratic caucus includes 213 members and more than two-thirds had cosponsored Kelly's resolution as of Jan. 27, meaning at least three House Republicans would need to vote with Democrats to achieve the simple majority required for impeachment in the current Republican-controlled House, officials noted.

Noem is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3 and Justice Department and congressional inquiries into the Minneapolis shootings are ongoing, officials confirmed.