Kristi Noem’s short, chaotic stint as Homeland Security Secretary didn't end with her firing. It’s actually getting much worse for her. Just days after President Trump showed her the door, congressional leaders are calling for the Department of Justice to investigate whether she committed perjury under oath. At the heart of this mess is a massive $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign that looked less like a government public service announcement and more like a high-budget vanity project.
If you’re wondering why a DHS Secretary would risk a criminal referral over some TV commercials, you’ve gotta look at the details. This wasn't just about "getting the word out" on immigration. It was about where the money went and who actually knew it was being spent. On March 16, 2026, Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Jamie Raskin officially asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to dig in. They’re claiming Noem lied about two big things: that the contracts were competitively bid and that Trump himself signed off on the whole thing. Expanding on this theme, you can also read: Why the Green Party Victory in Manchester is a Disaster for Keir Starmer.
The Problem with a $220 Million Self Promotion
Government spending usually goes through a grueling, boring process of competitive bidding. That’s the law. But lawmakers say Noem skipped all that. They’ve pointed to a $143 million chunk of that budget given to a company called Safe America Media. Here’s the kicker: that company was reportedly incorporated just seven days before it landed the contract.
Safe America Media is registered to a private home. It has deep ties to Noem’s inner circle, specifically the folks who ran her gubernatorial campaigns in South Dakota. When Senator John Kennedy pressed her on this during a March 3 hearing, Noem insisted the process was "competitive." Records suggest otherwise. Observers at Associated Press have also weighed in on this trend.
You don't just wake up, start a company on Monday, and get $143 million in taxpayer cash on the following Tuesday without some serious strings being pulled. It looks bad because it is bad.
When the President Says He Didn't Know
One of the most awkward moments in political testimony history happened when Noem told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Trump "knew about" the $220 million ad buy. She was likely trying to wrap herself in the President’s authority to shut down the line of questioning. It backfired.
The very next day, Trump told reporters he "never knew anything about it."
Either Noem lied to Congress or Trump is distancing himself from a PR disaster that he actually approved. Regardless of which one is true, the contradiction puts Noem in the crosshairs of a 18 U.S.C. § 1001 investigation. That's the federal statute for making false statements. Durbin and Raskin aren't letting it go. They’ve noted that even if Noem was telling the truth about the President’s knowledge, she still likely lied about the "competitive" nature of the contracts.
Key allegations in the DOJ referral
- Contracting Fraud: Claims that $143 million went to a "shell company" with political ties without a real bidding process.
- False Testimony: Telling Congress the President approved the spending when he later denied it.
- Detention Standards: Claiming DHS detention facilities were "higher than virtually all state and local standards" while court records showed moldy food and medical neglect.
- Court Orders: Stating DHS "always" followed judicial orders despite federal judges in Minnesota and New Jersey finding hundreds of violations by her agents.
Why This Perjury Probe Matters Right Now
You might think this is just partisan bickering. It's not. This involves $220 million of your money. When a cabinet secretary uses a massive budget to hire their friends and then stars in the commercials themselves—often on horseback in front of Mount Rushmore—it crosses the line from policy to grift.
Noem’s defense has been that the ads were about "voluntary self-deportation." She claims they were effective. But the timing of the contracts and the people getting paid tell a different story. Corey Lewandowski, a longtime Noem advisor, has been linked to the firms involved. Lawmakers want to know if he or other "special government employees" profited from these taxpayer dollars.
What Happens Next for Noem
Don't expect an indictment tomorrow. Attorney General Pam Bondi is a Trump loyalist, and the DOJ doesn't usually rush to prosecute former members of its own administration. Durbin and Raskin even admitted they have "low expectations" that Bondi will act.
However, perjury and making false statements have a five-year statute of limitations. This means if the administration changes or if internal pressure from the DHS Inspector General builds up, Noem could still face a jury. She’s slated to leave her post officially at the end of March 2026.
If you want to keep tabs on this, watch the House and Senate Judiciary Committee websites for the full text of the referral letters. You can also track the DHS Inspector General’s reports on "Safe America Media" and "Strategy Group" to see if those "no-bid" allegations hold up under a formal audit. Transparency is the only way this money ever gets accounted for.
Keep an eye on the contractors. If subcontracts start getting canceled or money starts getting returned, you’ll know the legal heat is getting too high for Noem’s circle to handle.
