Protester With Backpack Gets Removed From DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Senate Judicary Hearing

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was interrupted by an anti-ICE protester on Tuesday morning.

As Noem was set to testify, an anti-ICE protester wearing a backpack interrupted the hearing.

The protester was then quickly removed from the hearing by an officer.

Watch here:

Are you going to tell me security let someone with that big backpack into a congressional hearing? pic.twitter.com/PrCzzbQjIk

— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) March 3, 2026

Another angle:

.@Sec_Noem gets disrupted by a protester before she even had a chance to say a word in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. pic.twitter.com/hryH4ParYo

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 3, 2026

IBT further reported that a second protester was also removed:

Two protesters were removed from a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 3, 2026, as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified for the first time since the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis sparked widespread outrage and calls to reform or abolish ICE.

The disruptions occurred during Noem’s oversight appearance before the committee, chaired by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, with ranking Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois leading questioning. The session focused on the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, DHS funding amid a partial shutdown threat, heightened border security measures and the deadly incidents in Minnesota that have galvanized opposition to aggressive enforcement tactics.

The first interruption came moments before Noem delivered her opening statement. As she was sworn in and prompted by Grassley, a protester stood and shouted, “Kristi Noem, you should be ashamed of yourself!” and “Abolish ICE!” Capitol Police officers quickly escorted the individual from the room. Video footage shared by Fox News, APT and other outlets captured the brief chaos, with the demonstrator yelling as they were led out.

A second protester was removed shortly after, during questioning by Durbin. As the senator pressed Noem on accountability for deaths caused by immigration agents, the individual rose and shouted about “Americans killed by ICE” and accused Noem of failing to deliver justice to grieving families. The protester was swiftly removed, allowing the hearing to resume without significant delay.

After the disruptions, Noem went on to answer questions from Democrat Senators and crushed it!

Take a look:

Kristi Noem handles a democrat Senator who doesn't want ICE at polling places:

“Do you plan on illegals voting in our elections, Senator???" 🔥🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/pIdEGv9z1I

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) March 3, 2026

WQAD had more to report on Noem’s hearing:

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified in the Senate on Tuesday in her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration was executing its mass deportation agenda.

Noem’s appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee also comes after a weekend shooting at a bar in Texas that is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, leading to concerns that the escalating conflict in Iran could have repercussions for security in the U.S.

Her department’s immigration tactics triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, which remains unresolved, although a spending bill passed last year granted it a significant infusion of cash for the Republican administration’s mass deportation policy.

Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers. She also lashed out at Democrats for the congressional funding showdown.

“The latest Democrat-led shutdown of DHS is reckless,” Noem said. “It’s unnecessary, and it undermines the American national security, and it harms the men and women who work at DHS and their families.”