Tom Boggioni
December 11, 2025
December 11, 2025
RAW STORY
The former chair of the House Homeland Security Committee lost his patience with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a heated confrontation that was televised nationally on Thursday morning.
Toward the end of his allotted time, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) repeatedly asked the embattled the Donald Trump appointee over which administration vetted the refugee from Afghanistan who has been accused of shooting two National Guardsmen, one critically, in Washington, D.C., weeks ago.
With Thompson pointing out that Noem has been blaming President Joe Biden for the shooting, he asked her repeatedly to admit that Trump had a hand in Rahmanullah Lakanwal's asylum approval earlier this year.
Pressed on the case, Noem repeatedly stated, “The application on the asylum was thoroughly filled out by information that was gathered by the Biden administration.”
“So the Biden administration approved the asylum?” the Democratic lawmaker asked.
“The asylum application was put into place under the rules established by the Biden administration,” Noem parried again as Thompson asked the chair to reclaim his time.
“I don't want to charge, file, perjury charges against you, but I'm of the opinion that the Trump administration, DHS, your DHS, approved the asylum application,” Thompson warned her.
“The asylum application moved forward under all of the information and vetting processes that were put in place under the Biden administration, which is when vetting happened,” Noem repeated. “And that's what President Trump has changed under President Trump's administration ---”
That led Thompson to cut her off with, “It's obvious you don't want to answer the question,” before asking Trump appointee, Joe Kent, of the National Counterterrorism Center who was seated to Noem's right, to take “a shot at it,” where Kent repeated Noem’s talking point to Thompson’s frustration.
The former chair of the House Homeland Security Committee lost his patience with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a heated confrontation that was televised nationally on Thursday morning.
Toward the end of his allotted time, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) repeatedly asked the embattled the Donald Trump appointee over which administration vetted the refugee from Afghanistan who has been accused of shooting two National Guardsmen, one critically, in Washington, D.C., weeks ago.
With Thompson pointing out that Noem has been blaming President Joe Biden for the shooting, he asked her repeatedly to admit that Trump had a hand in Rahmanullah Lakanwal's asylum approval earlier this year.
Pressed on the case, Noem repeatedly stated, “The application on the asylum was thoroughly filled out by information that was gathered by the Biden administration.”
“So the Biden administration approved the asylum?” the Democratic lawmaker asked.
“The asylum application was put into place under the rules established by the Biden administration,” Noem parried again as Thompson asked the chair to reclaim his time.
“I don't want to charge, file, perjury charges against you, but I'm of the opinion that the Trump administration, DHS, your DHS, approved the asylum application,” Thompson warned her.
“The asylum application moved forward under all of the information and vetting processes that were put in place under the Biden administration, which is when vetting happened,” Noem repeated. “And that's what President Trump has changed under President Trump's administration ---”
That led Thompson to cut her off with, “It's obvious you don't want to answer the question,” before asking Trump appointee, Joe Kent, of the National Counterterrorism Center who was seated to Noem's right, to take “a shot at it,” where Kent repeated Noem’s talking point to Thompson’s frustration.
Kristi Noem forced to face combat veteran whose Irish wife has been jailed for four months
Tom Boggioni
December 11, 2025
Tom Boggioni
December 11, 2025
RAW ST0RY
Veteran Jim Brown (standing), Kristi Noem (MS NOW screenshot)
Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was put in the awkward position of apologizing to U.S. military veterans whose lives have been turned upside down, after a Democratic lawmaker who came armed to the teeth with tales of ICE immigrant overreach.
During questioning before the House Homeland Security Committee, the embattled Noem, who is reportedly on the way out at DHS, was confronted by Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) who followed up her claim, “We have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans,” by asking, “I don't believe you served in the military. I haven't either, but I think you and I can agree that, as Americans, we owe everything to those who have served our country in uniform, particularly those who have served in combat. Do you agree with that?”
She answered, “I believe that people that are in this United States that are citizens have legal status here.”
Magaziner then offered up a Purple Heart veteran who is now living in South Korea due to ICE, and who appeared at the hearing via Zoom, before directing her attention to veteran Jim Brown, who was in the audience and whose wife, a native of Ireland, has been jailed by DHS for four months as she awaits deportation.
In an interview with the Guardian, Brown gained national attention for confessing, “... he ‘100%”’regretted voting for Donald Trump as president.”
“Madam Secretary, the man behind you, please stand up, sir, his name is Jim Brown from Troy, Missouri," Magaziner began. “He is a Navy combat veteran who served our country in the Gulf War. He's married to a woman named Donna who came to our country legally from Ireland when she was 11 years old. She has lived here for 48 years. Because of you. Jim's wife, Donna, has been in prison for the last four months. She did not come here illegally and she has never committed any crime other than writing two bad checks totaling $80.10 years ago. She is currently in prison and facing deportation.”
“Miss Noem, will you thank Mr. Brown for his service to our country?” he asked.
Noem turned in her seat to the right and murmured to the standing veteran, "Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your service to our country.”
"Now, what possible explanation can there be for locking up his wife for four months when she has committed no crime, other than writing a couple of bad checks for $80?” the Democratic lawmaker pressed.
“Sir, it is not my prerogative, my attitude or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced,” she demurred.
Veteran Jim Brown (standing), Kristi Noem (MS NOW screenshot)
Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was put in the awkward position of apologizing to U.S. military veterans whose lives have been turned upside down, after a Democratic lawmaker who came armed to the teeth with tales of ICE immigrant overreach.
During questioning before the House Homeland Security Committee, the embattled Noem, who is reportedly on the way out at DHS, was confronted by Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) who followed up her claim, “We have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans,” by asking, “I don't believe you served in the military. I haven't either, but I think you and I can agree that, as Americans, we owe everything to those who have served our country in uniform, particularly those who have served in combat. Do you agree with that?”
She answered, “I believe that people that are in this United States that are citizens have legal status here.”
Magaziner then offered up a Purple Heart veteran who is now living in South Korea due to ICE, and who appeared at the hearing via Zoom, before directing her attention to veteran Jim Brown, who was in the audience and whose wife, a native of Ireland, has been jailed by DHS for four months as she awaits deportation.
In an interview with the Guardian, Brown gained national attention for confessing, “... he ‘100%”’regretted voting for Donald Trump as president.”
“Madam Secretary, the man behind you, please stand up, sir, his name is Jim Brown from Troy, Missouri," Magaziner began. “He is a Navy combat veteran who served our country in the Gulf War. He's married to a woman named Donna who came to our country legally from Ireland when she was 11 years old. She has lived here for 48 years. Because of you. Jim's wife, Donna, has been in prison for the last four months. She did not come here illegally and she has never committed any crime other than writing two bad checks totaling $80.10 years ago. She is currently in prison and facing deportation.”
“Miss Noem, will you thank Mr. Brown for his service to our country?” he asked.
Noem turned in her seat to the right and murmured to the standing veteran, "Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your service to our country.”
"Now, what possible explanation can there be for locking up his wife for four months when she has committed no crime, other than writing a couple of bad checks for $80?” the Democratic lawmaker pressed.
“Sir, it is not my prerogative, my attitude or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced,” she demurred.
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