Swalwell Vows to Strip Immunity From Noem, Homan, Bovino After Heated ICE Hearing
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) ignited fresh conflict on Capitol Hill Thursday by declaring accountability is coming for top Department of Homeland Security figures, including Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, and Greg Bovino, and warning their immunity could be stripped. The threat, made during a heated House hearing over a fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting, instantly escalates partisan tensions in Washington.
Democrats and Republicans sharply disagree over how federal immigration enforcement is being conducted and whether senior officials are protected from oversight. Swalwell’s remarks amplified that divide.
According to a Daily Beast report, Swalwell said, “If my Republican colleagues are going to do nothing… immunities are going to be stripped… and to Kristi Noem, Tom ‘Cashbag’ Homan, Greg Bovino, your asses are going to be in these witness chairs.”
The quote came as lawmakers debated responses to the Minneapolis incident, where an ICE agent fatally shot a woman during an enforcement action, a confrontation that has drawn calls for investigations and scrutiny of DHS leadership.
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“It’s clear we need accountability and transparency from those in charge,” said Swalwell during the hearing, underscoring his push for oversight.
Swalwell’s stance matters because stripping immunity from senior officials could open them up to subpoenas, testimony under oath, and potentially legal exposure, a significant shift from customary deference to federal agency leaders.
Republicans at the hearing have not publicly embraced Swalwell’s call and are defending DHS actions, arguing federal agents acted within legal authority.
Many questions remain unanswered, including what procedural steps would be taken to remove immunity and who in Congress would lead that effort.
As debates continue, Capitol Hill watchers will be watching if this rhetoric turns into formal action.
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