“You Made America Less Safe!”: Rep. Tim Kennedy Explodes at Kristi Noem in Heated Showdown Over Safety Cuts and Disaster Failure

In a blistering five-minute statement that turned into a direct call for resignation, Representative Tim Kennedy (D-NY) launched a devastating attack on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary (referred to as Kristi Noem/Gnome), accusing her of systematically dismantling national security, botching disaster responses, and knowingly making major U.S. cities, including New York, “less safe” through reckless budget cuts.

Speaking before the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Kennedy outlined a series of failures across every major DHS division, concluding that the Secretary’s tenure had brought “shame to a department that was created after 9/11.”

From Immigration Inhumanity to Local Terror

Kennedy began his tirade by targeting the administration’s immigration policies, accusing the Secretary of bringing an unprecedented level of “inhumanity” to law enforcement.

“You’ve deported American citizens, bringing a level of inhumanity to this nation’s immigration laws that I haven’t seen in my lifetime. You’ve terrorized communities, including my own, in Buffalo, New York, bowing to go after the worst of the worst, but instead detaining women, children, and hardworking individuals in pursuit of the American dream.”

He charged that the department’s enforcement actions were reckless, failing to focus on real criminal threats and instead targeting vulnerable populations.

Catastrophic Failure in Disaster Response

The Congressman quickly pivoted to FEMA, accusing the Secretary of an “abysmal performance” during a devastating extreme weather event along the Guadalupe River that claimed over 130 lives. Kennedy detailed a breakdown in the federal emergency response apparatus:

Missing Leadership: The FEMA lead was described as “missing in action, completely unreachable.”
Call Center Chaos: FEMA’s call lines were effectively useless, with 84% of calls unanswered three days after the floods.
Crippling Bureaucracy: Personnel ready to help were delayed for days “because of your policies.”

“Disasters do not wait for bureaucracy,” Kennedy stated, highlighting the tragic consequences of a slow and mismanaged federal reaction.

Systemic Cuts to Safety and Security Funding

Kennedy’s most forceful argument centered on the Secretary’s sweeping cuts to vital safety programs, alleging a political motive that directly jeopardized national security. He noted the cancellation of over $4 billion in Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities (BRIC) funds, a program essential for disaster risk reduction.

Most critically, Kennedy focused on the drastic slashing of anti-terrorism funds for New York State:

“You perhaps most critical to my state of New York, canceled more than 90% of New York State’s Homeland Security Program funding, including $134 million in Urban Area Security Initiative funds for New York City’s greater metropolitan areas.”

He hammered the point by reminding the Secretary that New York City remains the nation’s “number one terrorist target”—the very reason the Department of Homeland Security was established after the 9/11 attacks.

The Resignation Demand

When the Secretary attempted to defend the cuts by criticizing New York’s criminal justice policies, Kennedy shot back, reclaiming his time and pressing his charge:

“What compels you to knowingly make our cities less safe with these funding cuts?”

He then delivered his closing volley, accusing the Secretary of prioritizing political maneuvering over national defense: “It’s clear you have no interest in countering real threats in the homeland. While high-risk cities and disaster zones wait for help, you’ve devoted the past 11 months of violent raids, anti-police policies, and non-stop photo ops.”

Kennedy concluded with a final, unreserved demand: “Your failure to lead is a direct threat to the homeland security in our nation and you should resign immediately.”