Varela (NJ-07) Calls for the Impeachment of Kristi Noem Following Fatal ICE Shooting and Pattern of Lies and Abuses

Morris County, NJ (January 8, 2026) – Today, Brian Varela, a Democrat running for New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, released the following statement calling for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem:

“An innocent woman was shot in the head and killed by an ICE agent yesterday. After significant public backlash, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem brazenly lied to the American people about what we all saw and heard through multiple video angles recorded by eyewitnesses. Instead of telling the truth, honoring a life lost, taking responsibility, and calling for a full investigation, the Secretary of Homeland Security chose to deliberately mislead the American people and smear the victim, Renee Good, the slain mother of three young, now-orphaned children. Noem did this all in the service of blindly bowing down to Donald Trump and protecting a violent and broken system that uses federal agents to rain terror on our communities. The Secretary of Homeland Security should be impeached.

“The victim was neither a threat nor a terrorist. Yet Noem’s Department rushed out false claims, attempting to justify the unjustifiable. That is not leadership; that is a cover-up. Leaders should not be impeached for acts of a single agent, but Noem’s lies yesterday fit a disturbing and well-documented pattern. Under Kristi Noem’s leadership, DHS has become an agency that shoots first, lies later, never asks questions, and answers to no one but Donald Trump. She repeatedly defends and enables outrageous conduct in the name of ‘enforcement’, from justifying brutal ICE raids that tear families apart, to supporting the targeting of peaceful protesters, to dismissing or denying credible reports of civil rights violations by DHS personnel. Time and again, when confronted with evidence of abuse, her response has been denial, deflection, or outright deception.

“For these reasons, Kristi Noem should be impeached. Congress has both the moral and constitutional obligation to act to protect American citizens from the dangers of ICE under Kristi Noem’s leadership.

###

About Brian Varela

Brian Varela is a 36-year-old first-generation American, small business owner, and father running for Congress in NJ-07. Raised in New Jersey by immigrant parents, Brian put himself through college, helped raise his younger brother, and built one of the fastest-growing companies in America during the COVID crisis. Recognized by Inc. Magazine and NJ Business Magazine for leadership and innovation, Brian brings a real-world perspective to one of the most competitive House races in the nation. Visit www.varelaforcongress.com for more information and follow us on Threads, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.