Minnesota, Iowa leaders address Sec. Kristi Noem during Tuesday testimony

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday during which both Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and DFL Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar shared remarks.

Grassley, as the chair of the committee, took a moment to praise Noem’s leadership in his opening remarks.

“Under your leadership, the department has renewed focus on removing criminals from our neighborhoods. You’ve also accomplished what many of my democratic colleagues have said could only be done through new laws. You did it by securing the border, and President Trump did as well,” Grassley said.

In her opening statement, Noem called the current funding shutdown of Department of Homeland Security “reckless.”

During the hearing, Klobuchar pressed Noem on her early characterization of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers.

“How about specifically calling them domestic terrorists without any evidence of that?” Klobuchar asked.

“Ma’am, I did not call him a domestic terrorist. I said it appeared to be an incident of,” Noem responded.

“I think the parents saw it for what it was,” Klobuchar said.

Protesters interrupted Noem’s testimony several times calling for an end to ICE operations.

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