Spectrum News 1 by Reuben Jones and Michael White

The leader of the Department of Homeland Security was in the crosshairs of two North Carolina lawmakers this week before she was dismissed by President Donald Trump.

Secretary Kristi Noem was fired Thursday as secretary of Homeland Security after growing criticism of her handling of Trump’s immigration crackdown and FEMA disaster response. 

At public hearings this week, she faced pointed questioning from North Carolina lawmakers of both major parties — Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and Democratic U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross.

“What we’ve seen is a disaster under your leadership Mrs. Noem, a disaster,” Tillis said Tuesday, after he sought answers about Customs and Border Protection’s recent Charlotte’s Web operation in North Carolina. “What we’ve seen is innocent people getting detained that turn out are American citizens.”

Noem had been called before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about Homeland Security officers’ tactics as they carried out immigration enforcement actions, including the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Good, 37, was killed Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti, also 37, was killed Jan. 24. 

The day after Noem faced Tillis’ criticism, she came under fire from Ross over the pace of federal funding for disaster relief in western North Carolina.

Last summer Noem began requiring her personal review and approval of any contract above $100,000, including for disaster response, raising concerns about the slow release of FEMA money to rebuild from Hurricane Helene.

“You can’t find the time until my senator berates you in public to approve this money,” Ross told Noem on Wednesday at a House Judiciary Committee meeting. “Individual members of Congress shouldn’t have to come to you.”

Noem on Thursday became the first cabinet secretary dismissed by Trump in his second term in office.

Tillis said later that he had nothing personal against Noem.

“I just think she got to a point where she was out of her depth,” he said. “She had an organization that was too large and complex for her to handle.”

Trump said he had named Noem a special envoy for the Shield of the Americas and nominated Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her.

Tillis said he supports Mullin for the position.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2026/03/06/noem-grilled-by-tillis-ross