Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin called for the resignation, firing, or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday, escalating Democratic opposition to federal immigration enforcement tactics that led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this month.
The Holly Democrat delivered a scathing floor speech targeting Noem’s leadership after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good during immigration operations. Slotkin, who voted to confirm Noem last year, said the secretary has “done nothing to defend the values that she claimed to hold her hand up and swear to protect.”
Michigan connections drive Slotkin’s opposition
Though Slotkin said she does not regret attempting to engage with Noem — citing Michigan’s border role and the upcoming opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge — she said her reaction to the Minneapolis incidents exposed a misreading of the justice system.
“If you’re a cabinet-level secretary and you jump to that, you don’t understand our system,” Slotkin said, referring to Noem’s quick characterization of the shooting victim as a terrorist.
The senator also called for the resignation of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, describing both officials as “boat anchors” around President Trump’s neck. Slotkin said the administration officials were “the masterminds of these policies” and should face consequences through resignation, firing, or impeachment.
Democrats threaten government shutdown over DHS reforms
Slotkin said she and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters are unwilling to back the current government funding bill unless it includes changes to Department of Homeland Security policy, which could result in parts of the federal government shutting down just after midnight on Saturday. Democrats argue the funding fight is necessary to force accountability for federal enforcement actions.
“If she doesn’t resign, the president should do what he’s done in the past and fire her. And if she doesn’t get fired, she should be impeached,” Slotkin said during her Senate floor address. “We need accountability. We need the people who are the masterminds of these policies to leave their jobs.”
The Michigan senator specifically criticized Noem for labeling Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse for the Veterans Health Administration, a “domestic terrorist” rather than immediately placing the involved DHS officers on administrative leave. Federal agents involved in Pretti’s shooting were eventually placed on administrative leave, but not until after Noem’s public statements.
Senate Democrats demand police standards for federal agents
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer detailed specific demands for DHS reform, including an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents conducting immigration arrests and requirements that they identify themselves to the public. Democrats want agents to operate with “masks off, body cameras on” and carry identification, matching standard law enforcement practices.
“We are asking for the same things that the Michigan State Police or the Nevada police have to do on every single day,” Slotkin said. “We want our federal agents to abide by those same laws and rules, because they fundamentally lost the trust of the American people.”
The Democratic demands include ending “roving patrols” in cities, coordinating with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, and establishing clear protocols for federal operations in communities. Peters and Slotkin say DHS funding should be dealt with on its own, allowing other parts of the government to stay open while immigration policy is debated.
White House resists decoupling DHS funding
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, along with the White House, has opposed Democratic efforts to separate Department of Homeland Security funding from the larger spending legislation. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said immigration policy discussions are already taking place in Minnesota under President Trump’s leadership.
“That should not be at the expense of government funding for the American people, which would include … FEMA funding, and we are in the midst of a storm that took place over the weekend, and many Americans are still being impacted by that,” Leavitt said. “We absolutely do not want to see funding lapse.”
The House passed the contentious DHS legislation separately last week, but duplicating that approach in the Senate would require sending the package back to the House for approval. The House is currently in recess, and that complicates any potential compromise.
That said, Thune told CNN on Wednesday he sees possibilities for avoiding a government shutdown by week’s end. “Something would have to come together fairly quickly, but I feel like that’s possible,” Thune said, noting that negotiations were continuing.
What happens next
The funding crisis spotlights the tensions over immigration enforcement tactics since Trump returned to office. Democrats argue that federal agents must follow the same accountability standards as state and local police; meanwhile, Republicans defend aggressive enforcement as necessary for border security.
With the Saturday deadline approaching, Senate negotiators face pressure to find compromise language addressing Democratic concerns about DHS operations while maintaining government funding. It remains unclear how deeply the White House is engaged in talks with Senate Democrats, or whether the administration would accept oversight measures demanded by Slotkin and her colleagues.
With Michigan sitting on a busy international border and home to large immigrant communities across Metro Detroit, any prolonged shutdown would have tangible effects, from federal operations at Detroit Metropolitan Airport to traffic at the Ambassador Bridge and other crossings into Canada.