Democrats Say ‘Good Riddance’ to Noem

Democrats are happy to see Kristi Noem on her way out at the Department of Homeland Security. But her departure won’t fix what they say is a broken department — or change their desire to fund it.

“I’m not going to vote for $1 more to that agency as long as they are body slamming American citizens, barging into American homes without warrants,” Sen. Cory Booker said on Thursday when asked whether a change in leadership could end the gridlock over funding DHS.

“I can’t support another dollar in funding unless those issues are ending,” Booker continued.

Democrats have been calling for Noem’s removal for months, citing her handling of immigration enforcement, disaster relief funding and the department’s finances. In the House, more than three-quarters of the Democratic Caucus signed on to an effort to impeach Noem.

Some of those same frustrations boiled over to Republicans and President Donald Trump, who reportedly was irked this week when Noem told lawmakers he approved her controversial $220 million ad campaign. Trump announced on Thursday that Noem would be replaced by Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

The resounding sentiment from Democrats was “good riddance,” skepticism that new leadership would resolve their problems with DHS and, for some, a promise that Noem wouldn’t escape culpability for what happened under her leadership.

“The president has fired Kristi Noem, good riddance,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Thursday. “But the problems at ICE transcend any one individual. We’ve got to end the violence and rein in ICE.”

Funding for DHS lapsed last month, and Democrats have said they will not support funding for the agency without reforms to its immigration enforcement practices. So far, talks have not borne fruit, and House Democrats voted against funds for DHS on Thursday after Trump’s announcement.

Democrats said Mullin’s nomination is unlikely to change the negotiations much.

“It’s not like Kristi Noem was the one who was involved in negotiating” a funding deal, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters.

“She was a corrupt lackey,” Jeffries said. “We were dealing with the White House before, and we’re going to continue to deal with the White House at this point in terms of whether there’s going to be movement or not.”

It wasn’t all negative from Democrats, some of whom expressed cautious optimism about Mullin.

“It’s good for the administration — they made the change which they should’ve done earlier,” Sen. Mark Warner told reporters. “I’ve worked with him in the past, and I look forward to him going through his nominations.”

Some Democrats vowed not to fully turn the page. Rep. Tim Kennedy, who recently demanded an investigation into DHS officers’ treatment of a nearly blind refugee who died in his district, said Noem “must still answer for her reckless actions to the American people.”

“She, her successor, and the Trump Administration must be held accountable,” he said in a statement.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker had a similar message for Noem.

“Now that you’re gone, don’t think that you can just walk away,” Pritzker said in a video post. “I guarantee you, you will still be held accountable.”