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Democrats Take Heat Over ‘Fake Sympathy’ for Angel Families in Noem Hearing  

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Democrats Take Heat Over ‘Fake Sympathy’ for Angel Families in Noem Hearing  

Angel families, who have had loved ones killed or harmed by illegal immigrants, listen to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem testify during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., March 4. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Democrats “issue fake sympathy” to the families who lost loved ones to crimes by illegal immigrants, Rep. Brad Knott claimed during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.

“I’m going to apologize for my colleagues. They issue crocodile tears,” the North Carolina Republican told a group of Angel families sitting behind Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as the secretary testified before the committee on Wednesday.“They issue fake sympathy, and then they continue to defend the open border policies that enable preventable crimes that brought you here today.”

Knott told the families he is “ashamed” that Democrats “are still continuing to defend illegal immigration and act like it is not a mortal wound to this country.”

Rep. Knott, R-N.C., called out Democrats for shedding "crocodile tears” while still supporting open border policies during @JudiciaryGOP hearing today pic.twitter.com/op0uE4AOry— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) March 4, 2026

Rep. Knott, R-N.C., called out Democrats for shedding "crocodile tears” while still supporting open border policies during @JudiciaryGOP hearing today pic.twitter.com/op0uE4AOry

During the hearing, titled “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security,” multiple Democrat lawmakers expressed their sympathies to the families seated behind Noem.

Seven-year-old Dalilah Coleman and her father were among the attendees. Dalilah suffered critical injuries in 2024 after an illegal alien driving an 18-wheeler caused a multi-car collision, according to DHS.

“For the folks that are here and your families, I’m sorry, it’s terrible what happened to your children or your family members, but … U.S. citizens are more likely to be attacked by United States citizens who are not undocumented, who came here and are born here, they’re more likely to commit these crimes,” Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said after citing data showing U.S. citizens commit more crimes than illegal aliens.

“So why do you continue to talk about the ‘worst and the worst’ when all the statistics show we’re not stopping the worst of the worst,” Cohen asked Noem, referring to the DHS effort to prioritize the arrest and removal of criminal illegal aliens and illegal immigrants who pose a security risk to the United States.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., also expressed his sympathies to the Angel families.

“I see your pain,” he said. “I see your loss. I see those who are still with us, but have been hurt and changed, and I’m sorry that this has happened to you, and I see you. I know my colleagues see you. Our country sees you, and I thank you for being here today.”

Swalwell then went on to ask Noem if she had heard the story of Miguel Lopez, a man who crossed the border illegally in the 1990s and had been living in California for decades. Despite getting married and then having three children in the U.S., all of whom are U.S. citizens, Lopez was arrested and deported to Mexico last year, CBS News reported.

“Do you see the pain of families like Miguel Lopez, someone who did not commit a violent crime, but has been separated from his family,” Swalwell asked Noem.

“I wish people would do things correctly. If they’re not in legal status in this country, they can return home. We will pay for them to return home,” Noem responded.

Following a brief recess during the lengthy hearing, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Noem he spoke with one of the Angel families during the break.

In Roy’s account of the conversation, the guests “said something to the effect of: ‘it is a gut punch to listen to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle characterize this situation the way they are, and that they are not remotely understanding the impact on American citizens who lost loved ones directly due to the specific policy choices of the previous administration.’”

About 10 million illegal aliens entered the country illegally during the four years of the Biden administration, according to Customs and Border Protection data. Thousands of criminal illegal aliens have been arrested and deported since the start of the Trump administration, according to DHS.

Noem faced extensive questions on Wednesday regarding her leadership of DHS, efforts to deport criminal illegal aliens, and even her personal life.

“Have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski,” Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., asked Noem, whose husband was in the audience.

Noem’s relationship with longtime Trump strategist and DHS special employee Corey Lewandowski has been scrutinized following rumors of a romantic relationship between the two reported in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal. 

“Chairman, I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” Noem responded, addressing House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

“You should be able to answer that question clearly,” Kamlager-Dove pressed as Noem talked about the critical work of DHS to “protect” Americans.

The agency remains partially shut down while Congress continues to debate its funding. Senate Democrats have demanded changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies as a condition of funding.

“Americans will get accountability for the damage that you have done,” Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., told Noem.

When Trump is no longer president, Balint told Noem, “we will still be here and we will still be seeking accountability.”

Moments later, Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., accused Democrats of talking about “accountability” while “they’re not funding your department, right, in an active conflict on an international stage.”

National security experts have expressed concern over the possibility of Iranian terrorist sleeper cells carrying out attacks on the U.S. homeland following the launch of Operation Epic Fury. The homeland security agency was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Noem pledged to “closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland” following the U.S. attack on Iran.

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