Noem confronts Democrats over NYC crime, asylum abuses as members hurl accusations

By Fox News · Fox News

A Homeland Security hearing focused on America’s international threats turned into a shouting match on Thursday morning when Democrat lawmakers hurled accusations at DHS Secretary Kristi Noem of having abandoned America’s largest city and having violated asylum law. Rep. Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y., said Noem had decided to reduce New York City’s security funding for politically motivated reasons. "It's unconscionable: $134 million in Urban Area Security Initiative funding for the City of New York. What compelled you to knowingly make our cities less safe with these funding cuts?" Kennedy said, referring to the Trump administration’s reductions to some of the city’s anti-terror transit security programs. DEM REP OPENS HOUSE HEARING BY TELLING NOEM TO RESIGN IN FIERY STATEMENT "What compels you, your mayor and your governor, to release thousands of criminals on the streets rather than to turn them over to ICE?" Noem retorted. The House of Representatives’ hearing on Thursday, titled, "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland," provided lawmakers the opportunity to ask Noem and other administration officials about the country’s greatest security threats. Instead, Kennedy argued that by focusing on other priorities and by trimming the urban area security fund, Noem and Trump had opened the city up to security vulnerabilities. "You should resign immediately," Kennedy said. TRUMP DECLARES SUPPORT FOR CABINET OFFICIAL AFTER REPORT HE IS CONSIDERING REPLACEMENT His attacks echoed the frustrations of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul , who earlier this year similarly blasted the reduction in the city's funds. "The shocking actions of Washington Republicans to slash these funds and defund the police put New York City at risk," Hochul said in a press release. "We will not tolerate these cuts; New York will take every action available to us — including the courts — to ensure the MTA gets this critical funding to keep millions of riders safe." NOEM SAYS ZOHRAN MAMDANI COULD BE 'VIOLATING THE CO…