ICE Barbie is Gone, but Will Immigration Policy Improve?

The worst of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s many terrible moments in last week's congressional hearings on immigration control probably came when she admitted to being unfamiliar with the shockingly appalling case of Marimar Martinez.

She is the Chicago woman who managed to survive being shot five times by Border Patrol agents in October, leaving her with nerve damage in her right hand.

Yet, as Noem, dubbed “ICE Barbie” by some for her love of posturing in front of media cameras, was pushed by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, to acknowledge that the shooting was “wrong” during a heated Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, ignorance was her defense.

“Sir, I don’t know that situation or the case,” Noem replied. “I’ll look into it to ensure that all procedures were followed properly....”

How likely is it that Noem had not looked into the case surrounding Martinez' shooting last Oct. 4, especially in light of the embarrassing details that came to light as the U.S. Justice Department attempted to prosecute the victim?

Some of those details were in evidence in the Senate hearing room, including posters bearing the text messages exchanged by Martinez' shooter, Border Patrol agent Charles Exum, bragging: “I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.”

Got that, “boys”? Sounds like the government’s immigration enforcers have been going after anyone who looks as though they might, just might, be an undocumented newcomer, whether they happen to be here illegally or not. And the boss isn't going to check your work.

In her 13 months leading the Department of Homeland Security, Noem managed to cut quite a media figure. In May, just months into the job, she visited an infamous prison in El Salvador, to which her department had deported Venezuelan immigrants. Posing with flowing locks and perfect makeup in front of caged gang members clad only in their underwear, Noem sent a message that would be hard to decode as anything other than a taste for authoritarian kink.

Homeland Security agents under her authority would go on to conduct brutal and legally dubious round-ups of immigrants (and Americans who look like them) in a succession of U.S. cities. They would shoot and kill at least four U.S. citizens, including the two in Minnesota, one in California and one in Texas. Others, like Martinez, would be lucky to survive their wounds.

Noem's minions would defy and frustrate federal judges seeking basic information from DHS about the department’s compliance with court orders.

As DHS operations inspired mass political protest, and tanked President Donald Trump's polling numbers, Noem faithfully parroted the administration's talking points, continually characterizing immigrants as dangerous and protesters as terrorists, and Trump stood by her.

Yet their relationship came crashing down Thursday when Trump unceremoniously fired her. Or, rather, demoted her to United States Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, whatever that is.

Noem had been caught in a lie in testifying about $220 million of taxpayer money she spent on TV advertising — some of which ended up going to a company run by the husband of her erstwhile press aide, Tricia McLaughlin. On Tuesday before the Senate Judicial Committee, she claimed the contract for the ads had been submitted for competitive bids. However, on Wednesday, in front of the House, she admitted it was a no-bid arrangement.

Worse, she claimed that Trump had blessed the affair.

Bye, bye, Madam Secretary.

Lying, corruption, illegal deportation and even taking innocent life seemingly are no bar to a seat in Trump's Cabinet Room. But implicate him in your shenanigans, and you're likely to end up “as dead as fried chicken,” as the colorful Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana put it.

In other words, Noem’s career at Homeland Security was cooked, and happiness over her imminent departure did not seem to be limited to only one party, although the usual suspects expressed loudest delight.

They included a possible Democratic presidential hopeful, Illinois Gov. J.D. Pritzker, who seemed to take a line from a Chicago bluesman with: "Hey, Kristi Noem, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Now that you're gone, don't think you get to just walk away. I guarantee you you will still be held accountable."

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson noted that Noem "weaponized fear to undermine trust between communities and local law enforcement. ... Kristi Noem's tenure will be remembered by her brazen corruption, reckless exploitation of vulnerable families to advance a far-right agenda and willingness to put the president's interests over those of the American people."

I agree. We need good border security, not an excuse to impose a police state.

I hope that Trump’s apparent nominee to be her replacement, Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullen of Oklahoma, will do a better job, if he gets confirmed.

But first leaders from both parties need to talk seriously about what is needed to protect our borders without endangering the rights and freedoms that make this country so attractive in the first place.

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(E-mail Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com.)