The secretary criticized the Democrats for the partial shutdown of DHS, saying the funding lapse undermines national security.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified in a contentious hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3.
She addressed issues including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, possible domestic Iranian sleeper cells in the United States, and finding missing children.
Here are four takeaways from the hearing.
DHS to Protect Against Iranian Sleeper Cells
Noem said DHS is monitoring for potential Iranian sleeper cells in the United States following the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28, a conflict that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
She said DHS is coordinating with U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt potential threats.
Efforts include re-vetting certain individuals, reviewing immigration programs, analyzing social media activity, and conducting interviews.
Noem criticized the Biden administration’s prior vetting procedures, saying that large numbers of migrants entered the country without sufficient screening.
She said DHS is working to locate potentially dangerous individuals and prevent future attacks, but declined to confirm whether active Iranian sleeper cells exist in the United States.
The issue gained urgency following a weekend shooting at a bar in Austin, Texas, that left two people dead and more than a dozen injured.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of terrorism.
The suspect, Ndiaga Diagne, was killed by police.
According to a photo shared by Fox News, the 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Senegal was wearing a sweatshirt reading “Property of Allah.”
Underneath the sweatshirt, he wore a T-shirt with the Iranian flag.
Defending ICE
Noem defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers over its enforcement tactics, particularly in Minneapolis.
She said ICE officers have been operating in a “dangerous environment” and facing escalating threats fueled by what she characterized as political rhetoric that demonizes law enforcement.
According to Noem, DHS has recorded an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against ICE officers and their families, along with a more than 1,300 percent increase in assaults during enforcement operations.
“I recognize that members of this committee may hold differing views about immigration policy,” Noem said.
“But it’s important that we distinguish between disagreements over policy and the department’s operational responsibility to enforce existing law passed by Congress.
“It’s our duty as a department to defend our homeland.”
Criticizing Democrats for Shutdown
Noem blamed Democrats for the partial shutdown of DHS, calling it “reckless” and “unnecessary.”
The secretary said the funding lapse undermines national security and harms DHS employees and their families.
She warned that critical functions—including border security, immigration enforcement, aviation security, disaster response, cybersecurity, and protection of critical infrastructure—are being strained.
Noem also said DHS preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup have been hindered by the funding impasse.
The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with several U.S. cities scheduled to host matches.
Democratic lawmakers have outlined 10 demands in exchange for restoring DHS funding.
These include requiring immigration agents to wear body cameras, refrain from wearing masks, clearly display identification, and avoid conducting enforcement operations in “sensitive” locations such as churches.
The heightened scrutiny follows the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by federal agents in two separate incidents in January while protesting immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
DHS Working to Locate Children
Noem said DHS is working to locate unaccompanied illegal immigrant children who she said were lost or insufficiently tracked during the Biden administration.
She said that approximately 450,000 unaccompanied minors were not properly monitored and that about 145,000 have since been located through investigations led by Homeland Security Investigations, particularly in cases involving suspected child exploitation or sex trafficking.
Noem also alleged that some government-funded sponsors overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services trafficked or abused children placed in their care.
She said that practice has since been halted and that the department is coordinating domestically and internationally to reunite children with family members when possible.
She also criticized some judicial rulings that she said have delayed or blocked reunification efforts, pledging that the administration will continue working to return affected children to their families.
