U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono questioned Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the department’s use of force and what she described as repeated misinformation given to the public.
“We’ve all seen pictures and videos of ICE agents ripping people out of their cars, shooting them with pepper balls, or worse, murdering people in the street. This is not normal,” said Senator Hirono. “None of this is normal, but it’s what communities being targeted by ICE are forced to face every day under this regime.”
Hirono criticized DHS for not following legal procedures and failing to acknowledge its mistakes, arguing that these actions put Americans at risk. She cited cases involving Marimar Martinez, Reverend David Black, and Alex Pretti—individuals whom she said were wrongly labeled as “domestic terrorists” or “agitators” before any investigation was conducted. According to Hirono, no evidence supported those claims and all three were found innocent. When pressed on whether her department spread false information in these instances, Secretary Noem did not respond directly.
“The lies that you and this regime spread are creating a culture that fosters abuse of power. This is the reason we need clear guardrails on DHS,” Hirono stated.
She called for DHS to be held to the same standards as local law enforcement agencies and demanded changes including requiring ICE agents to remove masks, ending searches without warrants, and stopping community patrols.
“Mr. Chairman, I am done with this witness,” concluded Senator Hirono.
Senator Hirono has opposed immigration policies enacted during former President Trump’s administration and advocated for immigrant rights both in Hawaii and nationally. In 2025 she reintroduced several bills: the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act—which seeks legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings—the Reuniting Families Act aimed at improving family-based immigration processes—and legislation designed to protect unaccompanied minors from harmful tax provisions. She also supported efforts to ensure only qualified judges preside over immigration cases.
Senator Hirono represents Hawaii in the U.S. Senate as its first female senator and first Asian American woman elected to the chamber [source]. Her background includes immigrating from Japan as a child with her family [source], graduating from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with Phi Beta Kappa honors, earning a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center [source], and serving on several key Senate committees while focusing on support for veterans, immigrants, minorities, and underserved groups [source]. She also assists constituents with issues involving federal agencies such as Social Security claims or immigration petitions [source].
