100 Democrats Push for Impeachment of Noem Over $200M Taxpayer Bill

A routine school drop-off in Minneapolis became the flashpoint for a constitutional crisis. On January 7, Renee Nicole Good dropped her six-year-old son at school before an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fired three bullets into her vehicle, killing the 37-year-old U.S. citizen.

The shooting triggered immediate outrage and, within days, transformed into something larger: a coordinated effort by 100 House Democrats demanding the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The speed stunned political observers. Representative Robin Kelly filed articles of impeachment on January 14, attracting 70 co-sponsors immediately. Seven days later, the count reached 100—nearly half the Democratic caucus. Even lawmakers who previously opposed impeachment proceedings signed on, recognizing the symbolic weight of accountability over political calculation.

Video Evidence Contradicts Official Account

Independent forensic analysis showed the ICE agent was not in the vehicle’s path when shots were fired, directly contradicting DHS claims of self-defense. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the federal account “garbage,” while video footage captured Good attempting to drive away when she was shot. The agent, Jonathan Ross, recorded the encounter on his phone—footage that reinforced initial conclusions about targeting and positioning.

The pattern extends beyond Minneapolis. Since Trump took office in January 2025, ICE agents have been involved in at least 26 shootings, resulting in six deaths. In September, ICE killed Silverio Villegas-González near Chicago during a traffic stop, with bodycam footage later showing the agent described his injuries as “nothing major” despite DHS claims of serious harm.

$200 Million in Contracts

The impeachment articles target three areas: obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, and self-dealing. The financial allegations center on a $200 million advertising contract that bypassed competitive bidding. DHS steered the work to a shell company called Safe America Media, incorporated in Delaware just days before the contract award. The company lists an address at the Virginia home of Republican operative Michael McElwain.

Behind that shell company sits the Strategy Group, a consulting firm run by Ben Yoho—husband of Tricia McLaughlin, who heads DHS’s Office of Public Affairs, the same office that funded the contract. Yoho’s firm played a central role in Noem’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Federal contracting expert Charles Tiefer called the arrangement simply “corrupt”.

When questioned, McLaughlin claimed she “fully recused” herself and had “no visibility into why they were chosen”. Yet she leads the office that approved the funding—a contradiction that prompted five senators and two representatives to demand inspector general investigations.

Congressional Oversight Blocked

Federal law grants Congress unrestricted access to ICE detention facilities without advance notice. In December, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb blocked a DHS policy requiring seven days’ notice, calling it likely illegal. One day after Good’s killing, Noem issued a new memo reinstating the seven-day requirement anyway.

On January 10, Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison arrived at the Minneapolis ICE facility. DHS turned them away despite the court order. Twelve Democratic colleagues filed suit, with Judge Cobb later questioning how the policy could comply with her December ruling.

Political Calculations and November’s Horizon

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled caution, suggesting accountability should occur “at the appropriate time,” with the focus now on cost-of-living issues. Yet the impeachment momentum reflects a broader strategy. Midterm history strongly favors the opposition: in 18 of 20 elections since 1946, the president’s party lost House seats. Democrats need just three to five net gains to flip control.

Representative Juan Vargas captured the split thinking: Trump impeachment “won’t lead anywhere,” he said, but Noem “definitely needs to go”. The calculation is clear—passage remains mathematically impossible with Republicans holding 220 seats, but the message plants a marker for future accountability if voters deliver House control in November.

Historic Precedent

Only two Cabinet members in American history faced impeachment: Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876 for bribery, and Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 for border policy disputes. The Republican-led Senate dismissed Mayorkas’s charges in three hours. Noem would be the third, with articles combining financial misconduct and enforcement tactics—a template that depends entirely on who controls Congress after November.

Representative Kelly, who is running for U.S. Senate in 2026, declared: “Secretary Noem and her rogue agency have caused destruction and devastation across the country. You have violated your oath of office and there will be consequences”. DHS dismissed the effort as “silly during a serious time,” pointing to claimed increases in assaults on ICE officers while avoiding the core charges.

The fight continues, with every denied facility visit and every blocked investigation adding fuel to Democratic determination that accountability—symbolic now, enforceable later—must be on the record.