Kristi Noem's troubles have reached a boiling point. Dubbed "ICE Barbie" by critics, she has also faced public backlash after shooting her own dog. As the head of President Donald Trump's embattled Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Noem is tasked with overseeing an immigration crackdown that has brought chaos to cities like Minneapolis.
While some lawmakers, including Republicans, have begun calling for her ouster, it remains to be seen whether this will actually happen and what impact it would have on the administration's deportation policies. Ben Terris, a Washington correspondent for New York magazine, published a profile of Noem last September that shed light on her management style and the culture at DHS.
Under Noem's leadership, DHS has adopted more aggressive tactics, launched militarized operations in US cities, and increased deportations. However, within the administration and Republican Party, there may be an appetite for a drawdown following the shooting death of Alex Pretti. Terris notes that Congress passed a bill last summer with funding for DHS and specifically for deportations, which has enabled the agency to build up an army to carry out Trump's immigration agenda.
Noem's role is largely to hit deportation numbers and sell the president's agenda on TV. Her management style can be described as Trump-like, often swayed by the last person to have her ear and willing to make decisions based on ambition. Many of her former colleagues, including South Dakota Republicans, were eager to badmouth her, which Terris attributes to their relative isolation from Washington.
However, Democrats are calling for Trump to fire Noem and threaten to impeach her. Given Terris' reporting on the culture at DHS, it's unclear what would happen if she were removed. The agency's recent missteps and abuses may continue regardless of leadership changes.
In a related development, Terris also explored Trump's health, including the bruise on his hand that he attributed to daily aspirin use and vigorous hand-shaking. While Trump and his doctors claim this is the cause, Terris remains skeptical, describing it as "pretty Trumpy."
While some lawmakers, including Republicans, have begun calling for her ouster, it remains to be seen whether this will actually happen and what impact it would have on the administration's deportation policies. Ben Terris, a Washington correspondent for New York magazine, published a profile of Noem last September that shed light on her management style and the culture at DHS.
Under Noem's leadership, DHS has adopted more aggressive tactics, launched militarized operations in US cities, and increased deportations. However, within the administration and Republican Party, there may be an appetite for a drawdown following the shooting death of Alex Pretti. Terris notes that Congress passed a bill last summer with funding for DHS and specifically for deportations, which has enabled the agency to build up an army to carry out Trump's immigration agenda.
Noem's role is largely to hit deportation numbers and sell the president's agenda on TV. Her management style can be described as Trump-like, often swayed by the last person to have her ear and willing to make decisions based on ambition. Many of her former colleagues, including South Dakota Republicans, were eager to badmouth her, which Terris attributes to their relative isolation from Washington.
However, Democrats are calling for Trump to fire Noem and threaten to impeach her. Given Terris' reporting on the culture at DHS, it's unclear what would happen if she were removed. The agency's recent missteps and abuses may continue regardless of leadership changes.
In a related development, Terris also explored Trump's health, including the bruise on his hand that he attributed to daily aspirin use and vigorous hand-shaking. While Trump and his doctors claim this is the cause, Terris remains skeptical, describing it as "pretty Trumpy."