Watch: Kristi Noem's savage reply to Indian-origin Shri Thanedar asking her to resign; 'I will consider...'

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced a heated session on Capitol Hill as Democratic lawmakers pressed her on deportations, immigration enforcement and the treatment of US military veterans.

Among the most memorable exchanges came from Indian-origin Congressman Shri Thanedar, who, without hesitation, asked Noem whether she would resign. Thanedar even brought a board with "Kristi Noem lies to the American people" in all caps on it.

Towards the end of the session, Shri Thanedar asked Noem if she would resign should she not be removed. Noem replied: “I will consider your asking me to resign as an endorsement of my work.”


The hearing was dominated by questions over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. One of the most emotional moments came when Rep. Seth Magaziner introduced Sae Joon Park, a Purple Heart ( US military award given to service members wounded or killed in action against an enemy) recipient who self-deported earlier this year after facing a removal order. Park served in the US Army and was shot twice in Panama in 1989. He joined the session via Zoom.

Magaziner asked Noem how many military veterans had been deported. “Sir, we have not deported US citizens or military veterans,” Noem said. He then presented Park’s case, who came to the United States from South Korea at the age of seven.

Magaziner asked Noem to acknowledge Park’s service. “Sir, I’m grateful for every single person that has served our country and follows our laws and knows that our laws are important and that every one of them needs to be enforced,” she responded. Noem also said she “will absolutely look at his case.”

Throughout the hearing, Democrats grilled Noem for continuing deportation flights to El Salvador despite a court order. Protestors repeatedly disrupted her opening remarks, chanting “stop ICE raids,” “end deportations,” and “get ICE off our streets.”

When Noem left the hearing early, demonstrators confronted her again outside and booed her.

Several Democrats also called for her resignation, but Republicans praised her handling of the department. Noem remained defiant, saying: “America is very happy that, finally, they have a president in the White House that gets up every day to keep them safe.”

Even Homeland Security replied to the clip saying: 'Your boos mean nothing to us. We’ve seen what makes you cheer.'