Trending Now - Senate Hearings Examine DHS Role in Immigration Policy Fallout

WHO:

Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security

President Donald Trump

Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader, Louisiana Republican

Chuck Grassley, Senate Judiciary Chair, Republican from Iowa

Dick Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee top Democrat, Illinois

Thom Tillis, Republican Senator from North Carolina

Chad Wolf, Former Acting DHS Secretary

Lauren Bis, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary

Alex Pretti, U.S. citizen shot by federal agents

Renee Nicole Good, U.S. citizen shot by federal agents

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

WHAT:

Noem is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026, and the House Judiciary Committee on March 4, 2026.

DHS is currently in a partial shutdown, the only department unfunded since February 14, 2026.

The shutdown affects various agencies under DHS, including FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard.

House GOP leaders argue the shutdown is dangerous due to heightened threats following U.S. strikes in Iran.

A Senate GOP effort to fund DHS failed last week, with all but one Democrat voting against it.

Noem has faced calls for her resignation and impeachment due to her handling of immigration enforcement and the shootings in Minneapolis.

DHS claims an ad campaign led to 2.2 million self-deportations and saved taxpayers over $39 billion.

The ad campaign cost approximately $200 million.

The average cost of an ICE arrest and removal is $18,000, while self-deportations are 70% cheaper.

WHERE:

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota

WHEN:

Noem's testimony is scheduled for March 3-4, 2026.

The DHS funding lapse began on February 14, 2026.

The Senate GOP funding effort failed the week prior to March 3, 2026.

The ad campaign was filmed in October 2025.

WHY:

The funding standoff is due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over reforms to immigration enforcement.

Democrats demand changes to ICE and CBP before agreeing to fund DHS.

The urgency for DHS funding is heightened by recent U.S. military actions in Iran.

HOW:

Noem's testimony follows intense scrutiny and calls for accountability regarding her department's operations.

The ad campaign was part of DHS's strategy to encourage self-deportation among illegal immigrants.

The DHS is negotiating with Senate Democrats to resolve the funding issue, but no agreement has been reached.

Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, following a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that began on February 14, affecting agencies like FEMA and TSA. The shutdown has drawn criticism from House GOP leaders, who argue it poses risks amid heightened threats after recent U.S. military actions in Iran, while Noem faces calls for her resignation due to her handling of immigration enforcement and the shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis. As the DHS negotiates with Senate Democrats for funding, a Senate GOP effort to resolve the issue failed last week, with Democrats insisting on reforms to immigration enforcement before agreeing to any funding.