In early March, Kristi Noem made a last-ditch effort to retain her position by testifying before Congress. However, despite her attempts, she was dismissed by Trump, who subsequently assigned her to a role where she is expected to remain out of the public eye.
The issue arose when Noem’s testimony allegedly included multiple falsehoods, and the Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary Committees are determined not to overlook these claims. The primary reason is that the statute of limitations for prosecuting Noem extends beyond Trump’s remaining time in office.
Judiciary Committee ranking members Jamie Raskin and Dick Durbin have contacted the Department of Justice, urging the prosecution of Noem for lying to Congress.
In their letter to AG Pam Bondi, Durbin and Raskin stated:
We are presenting evidence that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem intentionally misled the Senate Committee on the Judiciary during her March 3, 2026 testimony, and the House Committee on the Judiciary during her March 4, 2026 testimony.
Several of her statements appear to breach criminal laws against perjury and deliberately making false statements to Congress. According to 18 U.S.C. §1001, it is a federal offense for any person to “knowingly and willfully … make[] any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation … [w]ith respect to … any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, commission or office of the Congress, consistent with applicable rules of the House or Senate.” Similarly, under 18 U.S.C. §1621, it is a federal crime for any person, “having taken an oath before a competent tribunal,” to “willfully subscribe[] as true any material matter which he does not believe to be true.”
The Democrats have outlined how Noem dodged questions during her testimony and provided a detailed account of the alleged falsehoods she presented under oath.
