May 6 (UPI) -- Trump administration Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday morning addressed respective House committee members' concerns as a new federal funding bill is prepared.
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., opened a contentious meeting with Noem.
"Three months into this administration, America is more vulnerable than it's ever been. Our homeland is not secure," Underwood told Noem during the representative's opening statement.
"You have slashed our nation's cyber defenses, letting Russia, China and Iran steal our top secrets and Americans' personal data," Underwood said.
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She accused the DHS of wasting "hundreds of millions of dollars on illegal detentions and deportations," including some who are trying to enter legally and despite illegal crossings being at historically low levels.
GOP lawmaker praises Noem, DHS
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., was more conciliatory in his opening statement and commended Noem and the DHS on the work it has done during President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office.
"I don't know anybody that's been more effective in less time than you have, and the men and women you lead and clearly lead so effectively," Cole told Noem.
"This White House has taken immediate action to strengthen the security of our nation's border and enforce existing immigration laws," Cole said. "The contrast from the Biden administration could not be clearer."
He said Biden administration "policies that allowed an open and lawless border have ended," and "the safety of our citizens no longer will be put last."
The border has gone from "chaos to closed" in 100 days, Cole added. "Our nation is safer as a result."
Cole said he favors funding that strengthens border enforcement and makes the nation safer.
Noem commends border efforts
Noem agreed with that sentiment during her opening remarks to the subcommittee.
"We've delivered the most secure border in the nation's history," Noem said. "Encounters are down more than 93%."
She said Customs and Border Protection reported fewer than 7,200 counters in March.
"Under the previous administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection was at times encountering over 15,000 people per day," Noem said.
She said the large number of border encounters diverted federal resources to support "processing and facilitate an invasion of our country instead of doing their jobs."
A secure border enables border enforcement to zero in on cartels and target drug traffickers, human traffickers and lower the influx of fentanyl, Noem added.
"Aliens are a threat to our country and our national security," she said and pointed to several gangs being declared terrorist organizations as proof.
She said efforts are underway to make the Federal Emergency Management Agency more effective and efficient, and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency is focused on cybersecurity instead of attacking "free speech."
The Coast Guard also has surpassed Fiscal Year 2024 drug interdiction numbers and excelled at search-and-rescue and illegal interdiction, Noem said.
With the border now effectively closed, Noem said drug cartels have shifted from border crossings to maritime routes to smuggle drugs and people into the United States.
She said the Coast Guard is facing our "greatest readiness crisis" since World War II.
"We have a plan to reinvigorate the Coast Guard" and transform it into a "more agile and capable" force, Noem told the committee.
Federal funding freezes questioned
Underwood then asked Noem if the administration has the authority to freeze congressional funding and withhold funds that were appropriated by Congress.
Noem said DHS reviews grants and has not halted any work that is under way or has been approved. The department only is reviewing grants that have not been authorized or started, she said
Underwood disagreed, saying, "This administration is not just ignoring the constitutional power of the people's elected representatives, it is also violating fundamental rights of individuals."
She then asked Noem if she supports due process, including for non-citizens, and demanded only a "yes" or "no" answer.
Underwood cut off Noem when she tried to provide a longer answer and told Noem, "judge after judge" has ruled the law has not been followed.
The federal government does not have the power to deport a U.S. citizen, Underwood said, and claimed several have been deported.
Noem denied that U.S. citizens have been deported and said funding is needed to ensure the border remains controlled.
Bessent cites 'warning track'
While Noem testified before the DHS subcommittee, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services regarding the federal government's budget.
Bessent said the nation is processing income tax payments received on April 15, and the "X-date" of when the nation no longer will have the ability to borrow money to pay its bills is "on the warning track," Politico reported.
A more specific date on when the United States will reach its self-imposed $36.1 trillion debt limit will be known in May, he told the committee.
"Just as an outfielder running for a fly ball, we are on the warning track," Bessent said. "When you're on the warning track, it means the wall's not far away."
Bessent and Noem were the first of several scheduled committee appearances by Trump administration Cabinet members as Congress debates what Trump has called "one big, beautiful bill" to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year.
