Which specific House Democrats signed the articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and what were their statements?
Executive summary
Seventy House Democrats have co‑signed articles of impeachment introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, but public reporting provides only partial roll calls of signers; multiple outlets name a subset of those who joined the effort and quote their statements [1] [2]. The articles allege obstruction of Congress, violation of public trust and self‑dealing; the DHS has dismissed the effort as “silly,” and Democratic leadership has not formally endorsed Kelly’s move [2] [3].
1. Who filed and how many Democrats signed
The impeachment resolution was formally introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly (D‑Ill.), and news outlets report roughly 67–70 House Democrats have signed onto the articles [4] [2] [5]. Multiple local and national reports caution that the exact full list is not printed in every outlet; some outlets say "more than 50" while others report the figure as 67 or 70, indicating contemporaneous variation in counts across reporting [6] [2] [5].
2. Named co‑sponsors and supporters identified in reporting
Several Democrats are explicitly named across outlets as co‑sponsors: Reps. Alma Adams (D‑N.C.), Delia Ramirez (D‑Ill.), Brittany Pettersen and Diana DeGette (both D‑Colo.), John Larson (D‑Conn.), Maxine Dexter (D‑Ore.), and Becca Balint (D‑Vt.) are all reported to have signed on or publicly backed the articles in press releases and local reporting [1] [3] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]. Coverage notes that outlets such as Newsweek and The Guardian published lists or quotes but did not reproduce a single definitive roll call in every story, limiting the ability to reprint an exhaustive signer list here [11] [3].
3. Robin Kelly’s central argument and direct statements
Kelly, the lead sponsor, framed the impeachment as a response to what she called the transformation of ICE into a “run amok” force under Noem, specifically tying the move to the fatal Minneapolis shooting of Renee Nicole Good and alleging repeated denials of congressional oversight access to DHS facilities; at a press conference she said, “Renee Nicole Good is dead because Secretary Noem allowed her DHS agents to run amok” and accused Noem of violating her oath [4] [2]. Kelly’s resolution lists three articles—obstruction of Congress, violating public trust via warrantless arrests and excessive force, and self‑dealing tied to a $200 million recruitment ad contract—claims she elaborated in public statements and press materials [2] [12].
4. Other signers’ statements and rationales
Named cosponsors echoed Kelly’s themes: Rep. Alma Adams said DHS and its agencies “systemically violated the rights of Americans and the U.S. Constitution” and stressed that withholding FEMA funds impeded North Carolina’s recovery [1]. Rep. John Larson called Noem’s DHS “President Trump’s secret police force” and said Noem “has lost the trust of the American people” and must face accountability, tying the impeachment to alleged lawlessness and cover‑ups [8] [7]. Colorado Reps. Brittany Pettersen and Diana DeGette framed Noem’s conduct as a “shocking disregard for human life, the rule of law, and the Constitution” and emphasized the Minneapolis shooting and denials of oversight as tipping points [6].
5. Allegations contested and the administration response
The articles allege Noem obstructed Congress by denying members access to ICE facilities and misused taxpayer funds by steering a recruitment contract to a firm linked to a senior DHS official’s spouse; reporting cites specific claims about a Strategy Group contract and the allegation that Noem bypassed competitive bidding for roughly $200 million [2] [9]. DHS spokespeople dismissed the impeachment effort as “silly” and criticized Rep. Kelly’s motives, while some Democrats and commentators debated whether impeachment or funding restrictions would be the most effective response, underscoring intra‑party disagreements about strategy [5] [3].
6. Limits of available reporting and next steps for verification
Public sources document many named signers and multiple quoted statements, but no single source in the provided reporting reproduces an authoritative, complete roll call of all 67–70 co‑sponsors; therefore, a definitive full list requires consulting the official Congressional record or Kelly’s filing materials [2] [11]. The reporting uniformly notes the political reality that, with Republicans controlling the House, the articles are unlikely to advance absent a change in chamber control, a strategic reality raised by several outlets covering the story [13] [2].