Rep. Robin Kelly Files Impeachment Articles Against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem After Fatal ICE Shooting

Representative Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) on Wednesday formally filed three articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, citing the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis last week.

Allegations and Charges

Kelly’s filing accuses Secretary Noem of obstructing congressional oversight, violating the public trust and engaging in self-dealing. The complaint alleges that Noem withheld appropriated funds and repeatedly blocked lawmakers from accessing DHS facilities, authorized warrantless arrests, and tolerated or directed the use of force against U.S. citizens and other lawful residents. The filing also claims that taxpayer dollars were improperly used to fund an ICE recruitment campaign and that a $200 million recruitment contract was awarded to a firm linked to the husband of a senior DHS official and spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin.

Context: The Minneapolis Shooting

The move comes amid national outrage over the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, who was shot while behind the wheel on a residential street by an ICE officer during an aggressive federal deployment. Local video and city officials have challenged the administration’s initial characterization of the incident; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the shooting a reckless abuse of power and urged federal agents to leave the city as tensions rose between residents and officers.

Kelly: "She needs to be held accountable for her actions. You have violated your oath of office and there will be consequences."

Responses And Political Stakes

Kelly said her filing is supported by about 70 members of Congress. A DHS spokesperson dismissed the move as political theater and criticized Kelly’s priorities, saying the department is focused on protecting Americans and citing increased assaults on ICE officers. The spokesperson accused Kelly of seeking "showmanship and fundraising clicks" instead of addressing crime in her district.

DHS spokesperson: "How silly during a serious time. As ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, Rep. Kelly is more focused on showmanship and fundraising clicks than actually cleaning up her crime-ridden Chicago district."

Democrats remain divided on the best response. House Democratic leadership has not formally endorsed Kelly’s impeachment push, which faces long odds in a Republican-controlled House. Some Democrats favor alternative approaches, including using forthcoming government funding negotiations to push for cuts or stricter oversight of ICE. Kelly, who is campaigning in a competitive Democratic primary to run for U.S. Senate in Illinois, has taken a more aggressive stance than some party leaders.

Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said the party is considering a wide range of options for accountability. "We haven't ruled anything in and we haven't ruled anything out. Everything is on the table from the standpoint of complete and total accountability," he told reporters, while questioning whether impeachment is the most effective tool.

Precedent And Process

House Republicans previously moved to impeach a DHS secretary in 2024; those charges were ultimately dismissed by the Senate, which found they did not meet the constitutional threshold of a "high crime or misdemeanor." Under the Constitution, the House must approve articles of impeachment by a simple majority, and conviction and removal require a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate.

Note: The allegations in Kelly's filing are serious and politically charged. Several details, including contract links and the involvement of specific officials, are contested and should be verified independently as investigations and oversight proceed.