‘We are not deporting US citizens’: US homeland security chief

WASHINGTON

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem faced questions from lawmakers Tuesday about the deportations of US citizens.

Noem testified before the House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee on DHS oversight and addressed several issues.

Rep. Lauren Underwood asked her about the Constitution, appropriations law, due process, deportations and whether the Trump administration has violated the laws and norms.

"Do you believe that the Constitution grants everyone in our country the right to due process, including non-citizens?" Underwood asked.

Noem said: "The administration has the authority to,” before the congresswoman interrupted. "Secretary Noem, I'm just looking for a yes or no answer here. Do you believe the Constitution guarantees due process to everyone in America?"

The lawmaker reiterated that she needed to hear a "yes or no" as Noem continued to talk.

"Excuse me, ma'am, I'm trying to ascertain your understanding of the law as it applies to your department, and you, as its leader, should be able to give us a yes or no answer. Because judge after judge has ruled that the law is not being followed. Do you believe that the US government has the authority to deport American citizens?" Underwood asked.

"No, and we are not deporting US citizens," Noem responded.

"OK, great, I'm so happy to hear that you believe that the law does not give you that authority, because the federal government has no authority under US laws to deport any American citizen,” replied the lawmaker. “I know everyone viewing this hearing today knows that several American citizens have been deported to date."

"No, they haven't. That is not true." Noem said.

According to recent media reports, the agency deported three children, along with their undocumented migrant mothers. The children, including one with cancer, were US citizens.

Rep. Veronica Escobar asked about the US children who were deported.

"The specific cases that you're referencing with these children -- it was the parents' choice to take their children, which is the policy of the Trump administration to keep families together," said Noem.

Escobar said she is curious if any of the funding, either through appropriations or reconciliation will be used to execute President Donald Trump's policy to deport US citizens.

"We have not deported any US citizens," said Noem.

- Federal Emergency Management Agency to be eliminated

Asked about the Trump administration's plan with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Noem said Trump believes the agency "failed."

Noem said the president indicated he wants to eliminate FEMA and give states more control over their emergency management response.

"President Trump ... he believes FEMA and its response in many, many circumstances has failed the American people and that FEMA, as it exists today, should be eliminated and empowering states to respond to disasters," she said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro asked: "With all due respect, where is the evidence of the failure of FEMA?"

DeLauro said federal disaster relief should be readily available across the US "regardless of where you live," adding that "natural disasters happen everywhere.”

"What the president has said is he’s sick and tired of federal agencies that pick and choose who wins and who loses," Noem said.

In January, Trump ordered a commission to look at eliminating FEMA and handing disaster relief duties to individual states, in a major break from longstanding policy.