WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will not step down, even as Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against her.
When asked if Noem will leave the post, Trump told reporters at the White House: "No."
Noem has been facing mounting pressure in recent days following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. The backlash has focused on her comments describing the victims as having committed "an act of domestic terrorism," a claim not supported by video evidence.
On Jan. 7, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis during an operation. On Saturday, Border Patrol officers fatally shot 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in the city.
The shootings have drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats calling for Noem to be fired or impeached and some Republican lawmakers urging congressional hearings into federal immigration enforcement practices.
Republican Senator Rand Paul said Tuesday on X that he is calling on the leadership at ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which he chairs. ■