WASHINGTON — Rumors are swirling around the Department of Homeland Security that Secretary Kristi Noem could be on the verge of being fired, amid a cascade of internal turmoil and a partial government shutdown triggered by expired funding. Reports from within the agency describe a "culture of fear" among DHS workers, stemming from widespread staffing upheavals across its various branches, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. The funding lapse, which took effect last week, has already begun to disrupt critical operations, from airport security screenings at major hubs like Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to disaster relief efforts coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in storm-ravaged regions of the Midwest.
Recent polls indicate growing public discontent with the situation at DHS. According to a survey of likely midterm voters, a majority back Democrats' calls for reforms to ICE practices, including stricter oversight of enforcement tactics, and support withholding DHS funding until those changes are implemented. The same polling shows that most Americans believe Noem should be removed from her position, reflecting broader frustration with the agency's direction under her leadership.
The troubles trace back to Noem's appointment earlier this year, a move reportedly orchestrated by her close adviser, Corey Lewandowski, who convinced President Donald Trump to nominate her as a personal favor. Lewandowski, Trump's original 2016 campaign manager and a longtime friend, has been a fixture by Noem's side since taking on an unofficial role as her "chief adviser to the secretary." Sources familiar with the matter say Trump was aware of the pair's personal relationship, which dates back to around 2019, and has even joked about it privately. Both Noem and Lewandowski are married and have publicly denied any romantic involvement, though insiders describe them as inseparable, with Lewandowski accompanying her on nearly every trip and appearing in official photos alongside her.
Trump's unease with the relationship reportedly influenced his decisions on staffing. He declined to offer Lewandowski a chief of staff position in the administration, citing discomfort over the dynamic with Noem. Despite this, Lewandowski's influence helped secure Noem's cabinet spot, positioning it as a potential launchpad for her political ambitions beyond South Dakota, where she previously served as governor.
Noem's tenure at DHS has been marked by a distinctive approach to immigration enforcement, emphasizing high-visibility, media-friendly operations. According to Wall Street Journal immigration reporter Michelle Hackman, who co-authored a recent investigative piece on the department's internal dynamics, Noem has prioritized "flashy" raids where she personally dons a flak jacket or poses in the cockpit of a Coast Guard aircraft. "She will hold a really heavy automatic weapon," Hackman said in an interview on the podcast Today, Explained. "She’s always also very TV ready. She always has her hair done, her makeup done, and she’s brought that style to immigration enforcement where she has pushed agents [to] always make sure that the arrests you’re making are on camera — the flashier, the better."
This approach, however, has drawn significant internal resistance. ICE agents and other personnel have expressed concerns that the emphasis on spectacle undermines their work, alienates the public, and heightens risks to officers. "People at ICE actually feel like that style is getting in the way, is turning public opinion against them, but also putting their officers at increased risk," Hackman reported, citing anonymous sources within the department.
The flashpoint that escalated the crisis came in Minneapolis, where two deadly shootings involving federal agents unfolded over a tense weekend in late July. The first incident involved the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a local activist, during an ICE operation in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Video footage of the event quickly went viral, sparking protests and intense media scrutiny. Just two days later, a second shooting occurred in the same area, further inflaming tensions and shifting public sentiment against the administration's immigration crackdown.
In the immediate aftermath of Pretti's death, Noem initially received support from some quarters within the White House. But as backlash mounted, particularly after the second incident, the mood soured. "Kristi Noem is realizing that she is taking the blame for what happened in Minneapolis, that suddenly the mood has shifted even inside the administration," Hackman explained. "And she’s basically thinking she needs to do something to save herself, she needs to salvage her image."
To counter the narrative, Noem's team, led by Lewandowski, reached out to Trump's pollster, Tony Fabrizio, requesting help in producing a promotional ad to portray her as a strong leader on immigration. The proposed spot aimed to redirect attention from the Minneapolis killings, which Noem had publicly likened to acts of terrorism during weekend TV appearances. Fabrizio, however, did not respond to the request and instead informed other administration officials, signaling Trump's growing frustration with Noem.
"Tony Fabrizio is very attuned to President Trump and his desires," Hackman noted. "And in that moment, Trump was feeling fed up with Kristi Noem. The president had seen Kristi Noem on TV over the weekend, basically comparing Alex Pretti and what Alex Pretti had done to an act of terrorism. He’d seen the really negative coverage of it, and he, in that moment, was really unhappy with her." Trump has not yet moved to dismiss Noem, sources say, partly due to his loyalty to Lewandowski, but the pressure is intensifying from Republican senators and outside allies who argue a leadership change could bolster Trump's mass deportation agenda.
Internal dissent has come not just from Democrats but from staunch Trump supporters within the administration. Rodney Scott, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, has been one of the most vocal critics. Scott objected to Noem's elevation of Greg Bovino, a Border Patrol official aligned with her confrontational style, whom she removed from the standard chain of command to report directly to her. Bovino oversaw the deployment of large groups of agents for street-level operations in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
"Rodney Scott was really upset about a few things," Hackman said. "Kristi Noem had elevated a guy in the border patrol... He’s the person who sent the huge groups of roving border patrol agents out on the streets of Los Angeles and Chicago and then Minneapolis." Scott argued that the aggressive tactics were counterproductive, potentially setting back the administration's immigration goals. In response, Noem retaliated by reassigning or firing several of Scott's top advisers at CBP and installing one of her own loyalists as his chief of staff. At one point, she reportedly told Scott, "I have direct communication with your deputy. He is in charge of the agency. You are not in charge."
These clashes highlight deeper divisions at DHS, where even "hardcore Trump supporters inside the administration who are supportive of his immigration agenda... basically feel that she’s getting in his way," according to Hackman. The reporter emphasized that the criticism is not partisan in origin but stems from concerns over effectiveness. After the second Minneapolis shooting, with unflattering video circulating widely, panic set in among officials as immigration polls turned negative for Trump — an issue long considered his political strength.
The partial shutdown adds another layer of urgency. Without renewed funding, TSA screeners at airports nationwide face potential furloughs, and FEMA's response to ongoing hurricane recovery in Florida and Texas could be hampered. Congressional Democrats have seized on the moment, tying funding debates to demands for ICE reforms, such as limits on raid tactics and better training for agents. Republicans, meanwhile, defend Noem's aggressive posture as necessary for border security, though some privately acknowledge the need for adjustments.
Looking ahead, the White House faces a delicate balancing act. Trump campaigned on assembling a flawless cabinet, and ousting Noem so soon after inauguration would undermine that narrative. Yet, with midterm elections approaching and immigration remaining a flashpoint, allies are urging a swift change. Sources close to the president say he remains torn, valuing Lewandowski's counsel but increasingly irritated by the DHS chaos. As one Republican senator put it in anonymous remarks to reporters, "If we had someone else at the helm, it would actually be better for his promise of a mass deportation." For now, Noem clings to her post, but the mess she has overseen shows few signs of abating.