Overview
- Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Jamie Raskin are submitting a formal referral Monday asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Noem knowingly made false statements during March 3–4 hearings.
- The referral cites at least four statements, including Noem’s claim that the president knew of a $220 million DHS ad campaign, which Trump later contradicted in a Reuters interview.
- Lawmakers also question Noem’s accounts of how advertising contracts were awarded and her assurances about detention conditions, pointing to ICE internal audits of medical-care failures.
- The request further seeks scrutiny of Noem’s statements about the detention of U.S. citizens and compliance with federal court orders, according to reporting on the referral language.
- A DHS spokesperson rejected the allegation as categorically false, the Justice Department is not obligated to act on congressional referrals, and Noem was recently reassigned as a special envoy as Sen. Markwayne Mullin awaits confirmation to lead DHS.