Shri Thanedar Grills Kristi Noem For Ignoring Federal Court Orders

At today's House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) questioned DHS Sec. Kristi Noem about separation of powers.

Transcript

00:00Member, Secretary Noem, the Constitution of the United States establishes a federal government

00:07divided into three branches. It is Congress that makes the laws, the President who takes care

00:15that the laws are faithfully executed, and it is the Judicial Department that says what the law is.

00:23The constitutional separation of powers and system of checks and balances is necessary

00:30for the protection of liberty, and any violation undermines the rights and liberties of everyone

00:38in the United States. The Trump administration has repeatedly ignored the federal courts,

00:45including the Supreme Court. President Trump has even said that, and I quote,

00:50doesn't know, end quote, whether he has to uphold the Constitution. The President of the United

00:58States said, doesn't know. Secretary Noem, is it the policy of the Department of Homeland Security

01:07to follow orders issued by federal courts? Yes, we are following all federal court orders.

01:14So the answer is yes. We are following all federal court orders. Yes. Well, as just one of the many

01:22examples, a federal judge required FEMA, and I quote, immediately cease, end quote, efforts to withhold

01:33disbursement of federal grant funding appropriated by Congress. The court later found evidence that FEMA,

01:41an agency under your preview, was in direct violation of the court orders. So court orders were not

01:49followed, as you see. Yes or no? We are following court orders. Grants are being re-evaluated, but they

01:56are being obligated and appropriated according to how Congress has laid out. Well, Secretary Noem, we all

02:03took an oath to uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States. It is a sad day that I have to sit here

02:09and issue a reminder. You and the Department of Homeland Security must respect the Constitution

02:16and the courts. Mr. Chairman, I want to yield the rest of my time to the gentleman from New York.

02:25Gentleman yields. Mr. Goldman is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Tenedar. Secretary Noem, your opening statement

02:31includes a lot of data and numbers, but it doesn't mention asylum.