WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday about the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, as well as proposed funding cuts to cybersecurity and FEMA, during her appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill. What You Need To Know Democratic lawmakers grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday about the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, as well as proposed funding cuts to cybersecurity and FEMA, during her appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Noem testified that the administration is requesting more than $175 billion — $43.8 billion of which would be allocated in 2026 — for Homeland Security as part of the reconciliation bill being worked up in Congress Noem was asked about a planned $491 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as described in a letter by Budget Director Russell Vought During the 2½-hour hearing, Noem also provided several updates about the work her agency has done since she was sworn in, noting that daily encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border are down 93% since President Donald Trump took office Noem testified that the administration is requesting more than $175 billion — $43.8 billion of which would be allocated in 2026 — for Homeland Security as part of the reconciliation bill being worked up in Congress. The funding would “empower the DHS to implement the President’s mass removal campaign and secure the border,” Noem wrote in prepared remarks.
Noem was asked about a planned $491 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as described in a letter by Budget Director Russell Vought. “Despite the growing cyber threats, your budget cuts nearly half a billion dollars — half a billion dollars from the main agency charged with protecting our federal network,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill. Noem said that the priorities of the cybersecurity agency — as well as other agencies — were being refocused. “So in CISA, instead of doing censorship, misinformation and disinformation, they are back to securing our critical infrastructure,” she said, later adding, “FEMA, as well, the president has indicated he wants to eliminate FEMA as it exists today and to have states have more control over their emergency management response.” In another exchange, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., asked about the planned reduction in funding to FEMA by $646 million, saying that Homeland Security does not have “the authority” to make the cuts.
“The power of the purse resides here and not there," DeLauro said. "Keep it in mind because it is the Constitution of the United States." Underwood also asked Noem several questions about immigration enforcement, including whether the federal government can deport U.S. citizens.
“I’m trying to ascertain your understanding of the law as it applies to your department, and you as its leader should be able to give us a yes or no answer because judge after judge has ruled that the law is not being followed,” Underwood said. “No, and we are not deporting U.S. citizens,” Noem said, before refuting reports that three children who are U.S. citizens have been expelled from the country to date. "The specific cases that you're referencing with these children, it was the parents' choice to take their children, which is the policy of the Trump administration to keep families together," Noem said later in the hearing in response to questioning by Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.
During the 2½-hour hearing, Noem also provided several updates about the work her agency has done since she was sworn in. “Today I’m very proud of the accomplishments we have tackled. We’ve delivered the most secure border in American history,” she said, noting that daily encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border are down 93% since President Donald Trump took office.
There were just under 7,200 encounters along the southern U.S. border in March 2025, the lowest in recorded history. Some days during that month, border officials came across fewer than 200 people — a number that Noem compared to some 15,000 people per day in previous years. Noem updated members of Congress about localities that have partnered with Homeland Security on immigration enforcement through the 287G program — through which Immigration and Customs Enforcement partners with state and local law enforcement agencies, saying that ICE has made 598 agreements through the program nationwide.
“What Florida did by having a whole-state approach is what we want to build out and model in every state,” she said. "I have to say, it's already been mentioned a couple times, the amazing speed with which you all turned around the southern border, and I know a big piece of that was your endorsement of the 287G program," Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla. said. She also estimated that her agency needed upward of 50,000 to 60,000 more beds in order to house people awaiting deportation.
“We have the ability to go out and act quicker in this country but need the space in which to hold them,” Noem said. In closing the hearing, Subcommittee Chair Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev. asked that communication between Homeland Security and the committee to be “significantly better” moving forward, calling for Noem to provide answers to lawmakers’ questions within specified timeframes. “I know the department hopes to be made whole with reconciliation, but in the meantime you need to live within your means.
It's our job as members to make sure the department is appropriately spending the money Congress provides, as well as to ensure the department has the resources that it needs to execute its mission on an annual basis,” he said.
