1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the nomination of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. Her nomination threatens the integrity of DHS and poses a grave risk of consolidating executive power under an authoritarian regime. As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, your leadership is critical in ensuring DHS remains committed to safeguarding national security. Noem’s authoritarian leanings, loyalty to Donald Trump, and ethical concerns raise serious doubts about her ability to lead DHS with impartiality and integrity. Her focus on immigration enforcement, framed through divisive rhetoric, distracts from critical security priorities like counterterrorism, disaster response, and cybersecurity, risking the Department’s transformation into a partisan tool. This nomination must also be seen within a broader authoritarian strategy, alongside figures like Pete Hegseth, Pam Bondi, and Tulsi Gabbard. Together, their efforts to align federal agencies with executive loyalty threaten the independence of these institutions and the rule of law. Noem’s role would be to weaponize DHS, further eroding its mission and enabling attacks on political dissent. While concerns about community safety, economic struggles, and resource scarcity are real, these fears are being exploited to justify extreme immigration policies. Undocumented immigrants are essential to industries like agriculture, and mass deportations would harm the economy, drive up food prices, and fuel unrest—unrest that could be used as a pretext for escalated enforcement targeting not only immigrants but also dissenting citizens. This trajectory is not speculative. Plans for denaturalization, dismantling civil rights protections, and targeting Americans exercising constitutional rights have already been articulated. History shows that narratives like the “enemy within” lead to oppression and violence. As Pastor Martin Niemöller warned, failing to act in the face of such threats has devastating consequences. Facilities like the proposed 1,400-acre deportation site in Texas exemplify the dangerous potential of this agenda. What once seemed unthinkable now appears alarmingly plausible. This is the reality of fascism, and it must be called by its name and opposed decisively. As a member of this committee, you have both the authority and responsibility to reject Noem’s nomination. This is not just a political decision but a moral imperative to protect DHS from becoming a tool of authoritarianism. Your leadership in rallying opposition to this nomination is vital to defending our democracy and constitutional principles. History will remember those who stood against authoritarianism. Let your legacy reflect the courage and leadership needed to safeguard our republic during this critical moment. Thank you for your service and dedication to our nation’s democratic institutions.