Noem was sharply criticized by Democrats for her answers to questions about habeas corpus, which they said she did not define correctly.

During a budget hearing at the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Democratic New Hampshire Senator Margaret Hassan asked Noem what habeas corpus was. "Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country," Noem responded.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the constitutional provision that allows people to legally challenge their detention by the government is actually a tool the Trump administration can use in its broader crackdown at the U.