Kathy Castor joins effort to impeach Kristi Noem

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is the latest member of Florida’s congressional delegation ready to oust Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.

The Tampa Democrat said she will co-sponsor legislation (HRes 996) filed Jan. 14 to impeach the administration member for high crimes and misdemeanors. That followed the fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers of Minnesota protester Alex Pretti, which itself came days after the death of another protester, Renee Good.

“This morning, I signed on to Articles of Impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem,” Castor posted on X.

“Secretary Noem and DHS employees have systemically violated the rights and privacy of Americans, terrorized our cities and obstructed Congress. This ongoing abuse has to stop. I am calling for a full and impartial investigation into the deaths of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and all others under Trump’s DHS.”

Noem has called protests against ICE operations in Minnesota “domestic terrorism,” as reported by Axios. She suggested Pretti, who had a firearm, “was there to perpetuate violence.”

A growing number of Democrats in Congress have begun to criticize the deaths. Every Democrat in Florida’s House delegation voted against fully funding ICE activities in the DHS budget this year. Castor last week credited a lack of oversight at ICE under President Donald Trump and Noem for her vote.

“The Trump Administration promised to focus on violent felons. Instead, agents have grown more reckless. Last year, 32 people died in ICE custody — the most in decades,” Castor said. “American citizens have been detained and brutalized, mothers ripped from their babies, and an American murdered in the street.”

That was before Pretti’s death, which has prompted Senate Democrats to say they will not pass a DHS budget this week before a Sunday funding deadline prompts another government shutdown.

“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, posted on X.

“Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”

Castor is the third member of Florida’s congressional delegation to sign onto impeachment articles for Noem.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, was an originating co-sponsor. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, signed on as a co-sponsor on Jan. 21.