Today, the House Appropriations Committee held an oversight hearing on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), led by Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman Mark Amodei and Committee Chairman Tom Cole. The session aimed to gather testimony from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on various issues including border security, fentanyl trafficking, personnel recruitment, and cybersecurity.
Chairman Mark Amodei highlighted the importance of ensuring that DHS appropriately spends congressional funds. "Our authorizing colleagues are working on reconciliation bills that will provide significant investments in the President’s immigration and border security agenda," he stated.
Committee Chairman Tom Cole praised recent efforts to secure the southern border. “In less than 100 days, we’ve watched our southern border go from chaos to closed,” he said, attributing this change to measures taken by the Trump Administration.
Several representatives raised questions during the hearing. Rep. John Rutherford addressed deportation orders with recalcitrant countries, while Rep. Dan Newhouse invited Secretary Noem to visit his district and discussed sanctuary jurisdictions' impact on DHS operations.
Rep. Ashley Hinson criticized previous administration policies regarding a southwest border contingency fund as a misuse of taxpayer dollars. She requested details from Secretary Noem about changes made under her leadership.
Rep. Michael Guest discussed funding for additional walls along the southwest border, asking Secretary Noem about their importance for national safety and CBP operations.
Rep. Tony Gonzales expressed concerns about state reimbursements for border-related expenses, particularly in Texas.
Vice Chair Juan Ciscomani spoke about improvements in border security under the current administration and asked about future investments in technology and infrastructure to address challenges specific to Arizona's terrain.
Secretary Kristi Noem emphasized accomplishments under her tenure: "I'm very proud of the accomplishments that we've tackled," she said, noting a significant reduction in daily encounters at the southern border since President Trump took office.
The testimony collected during this hearing is expected to inform future legislation focused on strengthening border security and addressing other national security concerns as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 process.
