Luxe jets, blankies, Lewandowski: Noem’s Day 2 hearing left little to imagination

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem forcefully defended her division’s immigration enforcement policies Wednesday earlier than Democratic legislature — a part of a heated and contentious House Oversight Committee hearing that, at instances, grew deeply private.

The hearing is the second in back-to-back DHS oversight hearings centered on the company’s actions on immigration enforcement and Noem’s management of the division, and comes as members of Congress stay deadlocked on how to proceed with totally funding the sprawling federal company.

Here are the highest moments from the action-packed hearing.

Dems dwelling in on Lewandowski, ‘blankies’ and luxurious jets

Some Democrats on the panel zeroed in on the duties Corey Lewandowski has assumed as a particular adviser for the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Sydney Kalmager-Dove, D-Calif., cited to Wall Street Journal report from last monththat mentioned President Donald Trump allegedly rejected Lewandowski’s request to be Noem’s chief of employees “due to reports of a romantic relationship” between the 2.

Both Noem and Lewandowski have denied reviews of an affair.

Kalmager-Dove requested Noem, point-blank, in regards to the nature of their relationship. “This person has no experience running anything close to the Department of Homeland Security, or even advising someone in your position,” Kalmager-Dove mentioned, noting his function as a particular authorities worker has prolonged a “well beyond the allowed 130-day” interval.

“He is unqualified, which has left my constituents and I wonder why he is your top official,” she added.

“So, Secretary Noem, at any time during your tenure as Director of Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?”

Naomi turned to address House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan briefly earlier than responding. “Mr. Chairman, I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” she mentioned.

To Kalmager-Dove, she mentioned: “Ma’am, one thing that I would tell you is that he is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of them in the federal government.”

Corey Lewandowski is seen earlier than a House Intelligence Committee hearing. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

Raskin says Noem is ‘flying too shut to the solar’

The panel’s rating Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., pressed Noem for particulars about Lewandowski’s function at DHS, although within the context of the query of DHS’s use of so-called “luxury jets.” Noem had defended use of the jets sooner or later prior throughout Senate testimony, noting they had been used for each government journey and mass deportations.

Raskin mentioned Wednesday that he had almost been ready to purchase that story. “And then I heard about an airborne episode of entitlement, arrogance and contempt that I could hardly believe.”

“Apparently, when your special blanket — your blankie — was left on one of the government jets and not transported over the new one, your special government employee, Corey Lewandowski, chivalrous, stepped forward to fire the pilot, mid-air,” Raskin mentioned.

“A 2003 Coast Guard Academy graduate and distinguished US Coast Guard commander… [who then] had to be rehired immediately because there was no one else who could fly the two of you on the rest of the journey back home,” Raskin mentioned. “Secretary Noem, you’re flying high now, maybe even a little bit too close to the sun.”

The exchanges had been markedly tense, largely due to the presence of Noem’s husband, who was sitting within the gallery during the hearing.

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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testifies earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Getty Images)

Swalwell, Noem showdown

Later within the hearing, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., confronted Noem in regards to the case of Miguel Lopez, a migrant who had been dwelling illegally within the US for some 30 years prior to his deportation final yr. Lopez is married to a US resident. “I went and saw Miguel in Mexico,” Swalwell advised Noem. “He doesn’t have a job … and it’s hard for him to communicate” after being away from his dwelling nation for roughly three a long time.

Noemi interjected: “Did he have a criminal record?”

Swalwell acknowledged that Lopez had pleaded responsible to a “lesser nonviolent charge” in 1995, however requested Noem to acknowledge “the pain” attributable to the administration’s broader deportation policy.

“The pain?” Naomi responded. “And I wish people would do things correctly. If they’re not in legal status in this country, they can return home. We will pay for them to return home.”

As for Lopez, she mentioned, “I hope he got the $2,600 he could have” by selecting to self-deport.

Federal brokers forcibly detain an anti-ICE protester outdoors the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement constructing on Oct. 12, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty)

‘Worst of the Worst’

The sharpest change got here when Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., pressed Noem on the Trump administration’s repeated pledge to goal “the worst of the worst” offenders of their elimination efforts.

“Tell me about the worst of the worst,” Cohen mentioned.

Noem fired again: “The worst of the worst served. I think you’ve offended the families behind me today with that.”

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, left, and White House border czar Tom Homan communicate with reporters on the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Cohen responded that he didn’t intend to offend anybody and mentioned it was improper for Noem to recommend he had. But Noem doubled down, arguing that critics had been downplaying the results of unlawful immigration.

“I was commenting on the fact that the individuals aren’t violent offenders, and you keep talking about the fact that these individuals that are in this country illegally don’t harm families,” she mentioned.

Cohen famous that undocumented immigrants are statistically “less likely” than individuals born within the US to commit crimes.

Noem then gestured to relations seated behind her, invoking tales of kids misplaced to fentanyl overdoses and deadly automotive crashes involving undocumented drivers.

“The vast majority of these people behind me lost their children due to drugs, overdoses from drugs that came over the southern border,” Noem mentioned. “They died from their kids being hit, accidents on the roads that illegal drivers were driving.”

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Cohen acknowledged the tragedies however argued they didn’t deal with his broader level. “All that’s true and given it’s true,” he mentioned. “But you say you’re only going after the worst of the worst, and you’re not.”