Garcia presses DHS for info on whether Noem is living in government housing

Source: The Hill

05/01/26 6:54 PM ET


Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, is pressing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for information on whether its former secretary, Kristi Noem, is still living in government housing. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Garcia cited the Wall Street Journal’s reporting last week that indicated Noem has continued using the waterfront house on a military base in Washington, D.C., nearly two months after she was removed from her post.

Garcia demanded DHS provide materials related to her housing arrangement, including “any lease agreement, contractual arrangement, or special dispensation permitting former Secretary Noem to continue to reside in Coast Guard housing on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling or any other DHS property.”

“The ongoing use of Coast Guard housing by a former DHS official raises concerns of waste, fraud, and abuse of government resources under your supervision,” Garcia wrote in his letter. Garcia also pressed Mullin on whether his predecessor was paying rent for the housing accommodations, requesting that he provide “all evidence of rental payments or reimbursements paid to the federal government by Kristi Noem” to live at the waterfront property.

The ranking member also asked for all memos or policy that DHS “relied upon to justify the use” of the residence both during Noem’s time as secretary and after she was terminated on March 5. She was subsequently tapped as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas.”. Garcia requested the material be provided by May 15.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5860195-garcia-presses-dhs-noem-housing/