Jasmine Crockett is not mincing words about fellow Democrats who have declined to support an effort to impeach Kristi Noem. In her view, staying on the sidelines carries its own moral weight.
“When you have people that are being killed in broad daylight, if your only excuse for not signing on is nothing’s gonna happen, then it almost gives a permission structure,” Crockett said in a recent interview. “It is almost complicit in these actions.”
More than 100 Democrats have co-sponsored articles of impeachment introduced earlier this month by Robin Kelly. The resolution seeks to impeach Noem on three grounds: obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust, and self-dealing. The charges accuse the Department of Homeland Security of blocking congressional oversight, directing ICE to carry out widespread warrantless arrests, bypass due process, and use force against U.S. citizens and lawful residents. A third article alleges Noem used her office to steer federal funds to businesses connected to her friends.
Crockett acknowledged the political reality facing the effort. With Republicans controlling both the House and the Senate, the impeachment resolution is unlikely to advance, let alone result in a conviction that would require a two-thirds vote in the upper chamber. But she argued that inevitability is not an excuse for inaction.
“I think it’s important to do what is right,” Crockett said. “It is always a good time to do what is right, and I want to signal to my constituents, as well as the rest of the country, that there is a significant problem with this particular DHS secretary.”
She pointed to recent legislative fights where Democrats prevailed despite skepticism, including securing a three-year tax subsidy for the Affordable Care Act and forcing a full House vote related to the Epstein files. “We didn’t think those things would happen either,” Crockett said. “Never say never.”
At the heart of Crockett’s argument is a concern about voter morale. She said Democratic leaders have a responsibility to show their base that they are actively pushing back against what many see as escalating abuses by federal agencies.
“We’ve just got to make sure that our base knows that we are fighting for them and that we see the wrong that is happening,” she said. “If we sit around and act like it’s business as usual, then you end up seeing Democrats saying, ‘What is the point?’ That is when people get disillusioned.”
The impeachment push comes amid intense scrutiny of DHS and ICE following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent in Minneapolis on January 7, as well as an expanding nationwide ICE crackdown. Noem, President Trump, and their supporters have defended the agency’s actions, arguing that agents are acting in self-defense and enforcing the law. Critics say the pattern of violence and lack of accountability tells a different story.
Kelly, who introduced the articles on January 14, has framed the case against Noem in stark terms. At a press conference, she accused the secretary of bringing a “reign of terror” to cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, and said impeachment is necessary to restore constitutional oversight.
Noem has dismissed the effort as “silly.” Kelly fired back directly. “You have violated your oath of office and there will be consequences,” she said. “The American people are watching you. And most of all, we are not liking what we are seeing.”
For Crockett, the impeachment resolution is about more than legislative math. It is a line in the sand. Even if the effort fails, she believes refusing to act carries a heavier cost.
“We still have democracy, at least some portions of it at this point,” she said. “And when elected leaders choose convenience over accountability, people notice.”
