Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley questioned Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during an oversight hearing in Washington, D.C., focusing on a range of security and oversight topics.
Grassley addressed DHS efforts to combat potential Iranian terrorist cells operating in the United States. He said, “The previous administration’s open border policy brought millions of people into this country. We don’t know everyone’s background or true intent for entering, but we know many of these [individuals] have ill intent. Given the Iran conflict, what steps has Homeland Security taken to protect against potential Iranian sleeper cells and related terrorism?”
Noem responded, “[DHS] work[s] every single day with our intelligence agencies and law enforcement partners to make sure that we are investigating and finding any threats to the homeland here within our borders. We work with the FBI often, and Homeland Security Investigations specializes in this kind of work. We’re going back and re-vetting some of the individuals and some of the programs that we may have concerns about. [We’re] looking at social media [and] going through the interviews… We know that we had many dangerous individuals that came in [the country] unvetted, and we are working every single day to find them and to make sure that we're preventing the next attack.”
The committee also discussed efforts to locate unaccompanied migrant children. Grassley noted, “As I said in my opening, the Trump administration has located over 145,000 children that the previous administration lost. Your department is also performing welfare checks on these children. Describe the ongoing efforts that your department is taking to find children who’ve yet to be located, and how recent welfare checks have exposed previous vetting failures.”
Noem explained, “[DHS has] located about 145,000 [unaccompanied migrant children], and we've done that through the investigative work of our Homeland Security Investigations team… Under the Biden administration, the government paid sponsors in HHS to host these children… we found instances where they trafficked these children themselves. So, under that administration, we not only had children that were in this country as a part of a [government] program, [but the] government was paying individuals that were knowingly trafficking them and abusing them. That has stopped. We have gone through and found these children and put them back with their families…. even in one case, we have other countries [that] we've been working with to get their children back home, where we've been prevented from returning these families and helping them to be reunified by activist judges. We will continue to work to ensure that these individuals and these children that were abused… have the opportunity to be brought back to their families and to their loved ones.”
On Afghan evacuee vetting issues raised by Grassley regarding national security risks among parolees from Operation Allies Welcome: “Some of the things that [DHS has] implemented under President Trump's administration is to go back and look at those individuals who came in under Operation Allies Welcome and make sure that we're re-vetting [them], especially those that have come in [during] the last four years under the Biden administration. [We] recognize that [the Biden administration] wasn’t tracking, necessarily, their biometrics or their social media presence … There's a requirement, under that program, to come back every single year and do an interview... That was not being done. So, we're going back and re-vetting all of those individuals and making sure that we know if someone is here in this country... they don't wish to do us harm,” Noem stated.
Grassley further questioned Noem about airport security upgrades following an Inspector General’s report: “As you heard in my opening statement about the Inspector General’s report on airport security screening... you announced $1 billion in airport security upgrades.” Noem replied: “I will tell you that all the recommendations that the Inspector General had in that report have already been implemented... The $1 billion investment is necessary at our TSA security checkpoints because it's been over a decade since a significant upgrade has happened… The number one priority of TSA is security…”
Regarding ICE's use of administrative warrants for immigration enforcement purposes: Grassley asked for clarification on how they are used. Noem responded: “An administrative warrant is utilized on a regular basis... In the 400,000 cases [where] ICE has used these administrative warrants, only 28 times have they been used to enter a home... it's been affirmed by the Supreme Court as the correct way to follow the law.”
Grassley raised concerns about improper surveillance software found on devices belonging to Noem and other political appointees at DHS: “You stated... software on your government devices... was used to improperly surveil you...” Noem confirmed disciplinary actions had occurred: “Yes sir. There was software... doing surveillance on political appointees at DHS. There were measures put in place where some people were removed from their positions…”
Finally, Grassley sought assurance regarding compliance for Special Government Employees (SGEs). Noem assured compliance with regulations: “Yes sir. [We] have career officials at DHS... they've all followed laws... regarding Special Government Employees.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds significant authority over judicial matters nationwide through its legislative reviews and oversight activities (source). It consists of senators from both parties led by a chairperson (source), playing an important role in federal law enforcement oversight (source) as well as constitutional protections (source).
