Fact Check: Noem didn't tell Congress that Republicans voted for Jan. 6 rioters to work for ICE
Claim:
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testified to Congress that Republicans voted to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employ participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Rating:
Context:
The rumor appeared to have its origin in an amendment Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove proposed on April 30, 2025, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing discussing budget resolutions for fiscal year 2025. The amendment proposed that the budget "may not be used to hire any personnel who participated in the January 6, 2021, insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol" for a role within the Department of Homeland Security. However, the amendment failed in a vote of 15-17.
In June 2025, a rumor surfaced that U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testified to Congress that Republicans voted to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to employ people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Internet users shared an image of Noem riding along with ICE agents on social media, particularly across Facebook (archived, archived, archived) and Instagram (archived).
The posts featured text that read, "Kristi Noem, head of homeland security, admitted, UNDER OATH, that Republicans voted to allow January 6th rioters to serve in ICE roles. Including the ones who assaulted police officers during the attack." The post also said, "Explains a lot about why ICE officers are wearing masks and refusing to show ID."
The rumor spread on social media following Noem's appearances before various committees to discuss the budget of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which are discussed in further detail below. However, there was no evidence that Noem testified to Congress that Republicans voted to allow Jan. 6 rioters to be employed by ICE, and as a result we've rated the claim that she did false.
Instead, the rumor appeared to have its origin in an amendment Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Ill., proposed on April 30, 2025, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing discussing budget resolutions for fiscal year 2025.
During the hearing, a number of Democratic representatives introduced amendments to limit the ways in which the budget would be allowed to facilitate the operation of ICE.
Among the presented additions was Kamlager-Dove's amendment that proposed the approved funds "may not be used to hire any personnel who participated in the January 6, 2021, insurrection and attack on the U.S. Capitol, even if such individual was pardoned for a crime associated with their participation in such insurrection and attack."
A full video of the House Judiciary Committee is available to view on YouTube. Kamlager-Dove introduces the amendment in question around 5 hours and 50 minutes in.
However, Kamlager-Dove's amendment failed in a 15-17 vote, with 15 votes of "aye" coming from Democrats and 17 votes of "no" coming from Republicans.
Eight Republicans and four Democrats abstained from voting altogether. It's likely this vote is where the language in the claim that reads, "Republicans voted to allow January 6th rioters to serve in ICE roles" originated — though it remains false that Noem said as much during her appearances before Congress.
The rumor also made its way into a letter to the editor published in the Arizona Daily Star, which read in part, "Kristi Noem told Congress that they were using Jan. 6 traitors as ICE personnel. They are criminals themselves, racist fascists. I suspected #47 was forming his own secret police. Noem is just a puppet."
Snopes reached out to DHS and ICE for comment on these claims and will update this article should we receive a response. We also attempted to contact the author of the letter but were unsuccessful.
In May 2025, Noem appeared at multiple hearings to address the DHS budget for fiscal year 2026.
On May 8, she testified before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations for the subcommittee hearing "A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security."
The full hearing is available to view on YouTube. It includes no mention of the attack on the U.S. Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021.
Then, on May 14, Noem appeared before the Homeland Security Committee for the meeting "A New Era of Homeland Security: A Review of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security." The full hearing is available to view on YouTube.
The only mention of the Capitol riots occurred around 23 minutes in, when Rep. Bennie Thompson addressed National Police Week — observed May 11 through May 17 — in honor of law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6. There was no mention of any allegations that Republicans voted to allow ICE to employ Jan. 6 rioters.
Finally, Noem last spoke on the DHS budget before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on May 20. The full committee hearing, "The Department of Homeland Security's Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026," is available to view in full on YouTube. Noem made headlines during the same hearing when she was unable to correctly define habeas corpus.
There was one mention of Jan. 6 during the May 20 hearing, which occurred when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., addressed alleged civil liberty violations against United States citizens, including an alleged air marshal whose "wife might've been at January 6 or something."
While we cannot definitively say there are no Jan. 6 rioters currently deputized or otherwise working for ICE as of this writing, and Republicans did indeed vote down an amendment intended to prohibit funding being used to hire Jan. 6 rioters for DHS, it is false to say that Kristi Noem testified as much to Congress.
- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syESsfBR5H0. Accessed 6 June 2025.
---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j_ruM9NI38. Accessed 6 June 2025.
---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7b7fiwV8s&t=1s. Accessed 6 June 2025.
---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG-KC5eOMcs. Accessed 9 June 2025.
A New Era of Homeland Security: A Review of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security – Committee on Homeland Security. https://homeland.house.gov/hearing/a-new-era-of-homeland-security-a-review-of-the-fiscal-year-2026-budget-request-for-the-department-of-homeland-security/. Accessed 6 June 2025.
AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE TO THE COMMITTEE PRINT. https://www.congress.gov/119/meeting/house/118180/documents/BILLS-119-xx-K000400-Amdt-15.pdf.
"Home." National Police Week, https://www.policeweek.org. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Ibrahim, Nur. "Kristi Noem Said Habeas Corpus Gives Trump Right 'to Remove People from This Country.' Here's What It Really Does." Snopes, 21 May 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/kristi-noem-habeas-corpus-trump/.
Norman, Greg. "Federal Air Marshals Surveilled Trump Cabinet Member Gabbard in 2024, Rand Paul Says." Fox News, 20 May 2025, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-air-marshals-surveilled-trump-cabinet-member-gabbard-2024-rand-paul-says.
Testimony, Download. A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security | United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-presidents-fiscal-year-2026-budget-request-for-the-department-of-homeland-security. Accessed 6 June 2025.
"The Department of Homeland Security's Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026." Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/the-department-of-homeland-securitys-budget-request-for-fiscal-year-2026/. Accessed 6 June 2025.
Vail, David E. Leon. "Letter: Traitors from January 6 Are ICE Officers." Arizona Daily Star, 5 June 2025, https://tucson.com/opinion/letters/article_61b3a6e9-aec5-42a0-833e-7231cc554228.html.
Vote on Kamlager-Dover Amendment (#14) to the Committee Print ADS. https://www.congress.gov/119/meeting/house/118180/documents/CRPT-119-JU00-Vote012-20250430.pdf.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
13 minutes ago
- CBS News
House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green to resign from Congress
Washington — House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican, announced Monday that he plans to resign after Congress passes President Trump's budget bill. "Recently, I was offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up. As a result, today I notified the Speaker and the House of Representatives that I will resign from Congress as soon as the House votes once again on the reconciliation package," Green said in a statement. His forthcoming resignation was first reported by Punchbowl News. As the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Green led an effort last year to impeach then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the Biden administration's handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Green has served in Congress since 2019. He had planned to retire at the end of last year instead of seeking a fourth term, but quickly reversed course after Mr. Trump urged him to reconsider. "Though I planned to retire at the end of the previous Congress, I stayed to ensure that President Trump's border security measures and priorities make it through Congress," Green said. "By overseeing the border security portion of the reconciliation package, I have done that. After that, I will retire, and there will be a special election to replace me." Green's departure could further eat into House Republicans' narrow majority, depending on when he leaves and when a special election is held in his solidly red district. Republicans can currently afford to lose three votes, but there are three vacancies from Democrats who died this year. Special elections to replace them are scheduled for the fall. Congressional leaders have given themselves a self-imposed deadline of July 4 to send the reconciliation package to Mr. Trump. The House passed the bill before Memorial Day, and the Senate is expected to make changes to it in the coming weeks before sending it back to the lower chamber. contributed to this report.
Axios
15 minutes ago
- Axios
Legal pressure mounts against Gov. Polis over ICE data disclosure
Legal pressure is mounting against Democratic Gov. Jared Polis after revelations that he ordered state officials to comply with an ICE subpoena and hand over personal data of undocumented children in Colorado to federal immigration agents. The latest: Colorado WINS — the union representing more than 27,000 state workers— civil rights group Towards Justice and labor organization Colorado AFL-CIOannounced Monday they're joining as plaintiffs on a whistleblower lawsuit filed last week by Scott Moss, a senior labor official in Polis' administration. The groups accuse the governor of "colluding" with ICE agents and violating multiple state laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in non-criminal matters. The intrigue: Polis has agreed not to act on the subpoena until after the judge rules on a request for a temporary restraining order and injunction, according to his attorney's court filing last week. The big picture: The backlash highlights growing fractures in Polis' support among labor leaders, civil rights advocates and Latino Democrats — many of whom viewed him as an ally. Just weeks ago, Polis signed a bill prohibiting state and local officials from collecting or sharing information about immigration status unless it directly involves a criminal investigation. What they're saying:"The actions that Gov. Polis has taken are undermining public trust in our state government," Colorado WINS president Diane Byrne said at a news briefing on the steps of Denver City Hall on Monday. "This action by the governor represents a betrayal to the immigrant community of our state," the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus said in a statement Monday, adding that Polis has turned "his back on some of the most vulnerable residents." Catch up quick: On April 24, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security subpoenaed the state labor department for detailed records — including wage data, leave filings and home addresses — for 35 people sponsoring unaccompanied migrant children. According to the records, Polis initially resisted but later reversed, ordering staff to comply or face termination. The other side: The governor's office defends its action, saying it was a criminal matter. "We are committed to partnering on criminal investigations ... including to protect against human trafficking and child exploitation," Polis' spokesperson Eric Maruyama told us. Reality check: The subpoena reviewed by Axios Denver makes no mention of any open criminal investigation, nor is it court-ordered. Instead, the administrative request references broad "investigative activities" to ensure children released to sponsors were safe — citing general risks of trafficking or exploitation. Crucially, a checkbox on the subpoena that would formally classify the request as involving child exploitation was left blank. The bottom line: Polis' office appears to be casting a civil immigration enforcement request as a criminal matter — sidestepping state law to justify a politically risky decision of turning over immigrant data to ICE.
Axios
15 minutes ago
- Axios
House GOP majority to shrink as top Rep. Mark Green plans exit
Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, announced Monday he plans to resign from Congress midway through his term. Why it matters: His departure will further diminish House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) already razor thin majority. Green said in a statement he was "offered an opportunity in the private sector that was too exciting to pass up." The Tennessee Republican said he'd resign after the House votes on a final version of the Trump budget bill.
