“You Lied to the American People”: Rep. Julie Johnson Erupts at Kristi Noem in Fiery Hearing Clash

A congressional hearing on immigration enforcement turned sharply confrontational this week after Rep. Julie Johnson delivered a blistering rebuke of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of misleading the American public and presiding over practices that violate constitutional rights.

Speaking during her allotted time, Johnson said the country is experiencing an unprecedented level of fear fueled by rhetoric coming “from the very top” of government. She argued that this rhetoric has cascaded downward, creating widespread anxiety not only among immigrants but also among American citizens and law enforcement officers.

“What is clear,” Johnson said, “is that the rhetoric and fear in this country are at an all-time escalated high. And that is really, really dangerous.”

Dispute Over the “Rule of Law”

Johnson directly challenged Noem’s repeated claim that the Department of Homeland Security is “restoring the rule of law.” According to Johnson, that assertion is fundamentally false.

She outlined what she described as the two foundational pillars of the rule of law in the United States: probable cause for arrest and the guarantee of due process. Johnson argued that both principles are being ignored.

“You cannot just snatch somebody walking into a coffee shop because of the color of their skin,” she said. “There is no probable cause for that. And there is no due process.”

Johnson accused the administration, and Noem personally, of violating long-standing constitutional norms and principles of legal fairness, warning that public frustration is reaching a boiling point as concerns go unaddressed.

Claims of Widespread Low-Threat Detentions

Citing a visit to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility outside Dallas, Johnson disputed claims that enforcement efforts focus primarily on serious criminals or national security threats.

She stated that more than 70 percent of detainees she observed were classified as the lowest threat level and had no criminal records at all.

“They are not a threat to this country,” Johnson said. “They have no criminal history. They were there because of the color of their skin.”

Johnson emphasized that she supports targeting genuine threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, and foreign-based security risks, but insisted that immigration enforcement must not come at the expense of constitutional protections.

Arrests of American Citizens

In one of the most striking moments of her remarks, Johnson described cases in which American citizens were allegedly arrested by ICE despite identifying themselves as U.S. citizens.

She referenced incidents in which individuals were physically assaulted, including one older man who reportedly suffered broken ribs and a brain injury after being knocked to the ground while asserting his citizenship.

“That is a huge problem,” Johnson said. “When someone says, ‘I’m an American citizen,’ and ICE does not stop.”

She added that some of these individuals were held for days without a due process hearing, calling the practice “completely unacceptable.”

Allegations of Abuse and Lack of Oversight

Johnson acknowledged that many ICE and Border Patrol agents perform their duties lawfully and professionally, but warned that “bad actors” within the system are exceeding their authority.

She accused federal agencies of failing to rein in misconduct and criticized the lack of accountability mechanisms within DHS and related agencies.

“The intimidation is outrageous,” Johnson said. “There is no effort to overcorrect, and it is breaking down the trust of the American people.”

She also noted that lawmakers have repeatedly raised these concerns through hearings and formal letters, many of which she said have gone unanswered.

A Warning to the Administration

Concluding her remarks, Johnson urged Noem and DHS leadership to take these concerns seriously, warning that continued inaction could further erode public trust and contribute to rising tensions nationwide.

“These issues must be addressed if we are going to address the violence and the fear in this country,” she said before yielding back her time.

The exchange underscored deep divisions in Congress over immigration enforcement and civil liberties, highlighting the growing intensity of scrutiny facing DHS leadership as debates over border security and constitutional rights continue.