Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Dick Durbin asked the Justice Department in March 2026 to examine whether former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gave false testimony to Congress. DHS answered that “Any claim that Secretary Noem committed perjury is categorically FALSE,” and the Justice Department called the Noem perjury referral a political stunt.
Separately, CNN and ABC News reported, citing sources, that the DHS inspector general is investigating how contracts were handled under Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski. Noem has defended the contracting as lawful, and Lewandowski has denied wrongdoing. Neither has been charged.
Where it stands: DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told a House hearing on June 3 that the inspector general had multiple active investigations and that DHS had canceled most pending Noem-era contracts, Reuters reported. No Justice Department action on the referral has been reported.
What does the Noem perjury referral say?
It is a request, not a charge. In their letter to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, the two Judiciary Committee ranking members cited her March 3 Senate and March 4 House testimony and asked the department “to determine if her testimony warrants investigation under 18 U.S.C. §§1001 and §1621.” Those are the federal false-statements and perjury statutes.
According to their release, the letter groups the disputed statements into four areas: compliance with court orders, contracting, detention of U.S. citizens, and detention conditions. On contracting, ABC News reported, they pointed to her account of a $220 million ad campaign and her statement that Trump had approved it. A day later, Trump told Reuters: “I never knew anything about it.”
The letter also questioned her description of Lewandowski’s role. Raskin and Durbin added that the limitation period for these offenses “is five years,” a point aimed at any future Justice Department.
How did Noem, DHS and the Justice Department respond?
All three rejected the claims. Beyond the DHS spokesperson’s “categorically FALSE,” a Justice Department spokesperson said: “The DOJ has received the latest political stunt from the Democrats who should instead vote to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.”
Noem defended the ad contracts at the hearings. Reuters reported that she said they were awarded competitively without political appointees, and quoted her: “All done correctly, all done legally.” According to ABC News, Trump fired Noem the day after her testimony concluded; she later took a State Department envoy role.
| Matter | Who acted | Status | Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perjury / false-statements referral | Raskin and Durbin, March 2026 | No reported DOJ action | DHS: “categorically FALSE”; DOJ: “political stunt” |
| DHS IG contracting probe | Inspector General Joseph Cuffari (per sources) | Reported active; OIG will not confirm | Lewandowski denies wrongdoing |
| Possible Lewandowski referral | DHS investigators (per WSJ) | Weighed; not expected soon | Representative disputes allegations |
| Impeachment resolution H.Res. 996 | Rep. Robin Kelly, January 2026 | Referred to Judiciary; no vote | None in our sources |
| Request for IG review of Lewandowski | Reps. Garcia, Larsen, Thompson, March 2026 | Sent | See above |
What is the DHS inspector general probe?
CNN reported in March 2026, from two sources, that the inspector general had opened a broad investigation into how DHS contracts were solicited and handled, including Noem’s and Lewandowski’s involvement. One source said it is “separate from the previously announced audit” of non-competitive awards.
ABC News reported the same probe from its own sources. Neither report has been confirmed by the inspector general’s office, which says it “does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.”
The background is a running dispute. Before Noem’s ouster, Inspector General Joseph Cuffari told Congress that DHS leadership had “systematically obstructed” his office’s work, CNN reported. Mullin said at his confirmation hearing that he would cooperate, and in June told lawmakers he had not been briefed on the details of the active investigations.
What has been reported about Lewandowski and DHS contracts?
Lewandowski was an unpaid adviser at DHS. NBC News reported in March 2026, citing a senior DHS official and three other people, that during the transition he told GEO Group founder George Zoley he wanted to be paid for protecting the company’s DHS contracts. His representative told NBC: “This is absolutely false and did not happen.”
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In July 2026, The Wall Street Journal reported that DHS investigators were weighing a criminal referral of Lewandowski. That report, read here through Mediaite, is a single outlet’s account. It said “a referral is not expected in the immediate future.” A representative for Lewandowski disputed the allegations, said he did not issue contracts, and said he had not been contacted by investigators.
House Democrats Robert Garcia, Rick Larsen and Bennie Thompson had already asked the inspector general in March to examine Lewandowski’s influence. Rolling Stone reported that Garcia has named Noem and Lewandowski among the people Democrats want before the Oversight Committee; see our House Oversight subpoena list.
Who can act on a referral or an IG finding?
Only prosecutors can charge. Congress has no power to indict, and an inspector general does not prosecute. Under the Inspector General Act, each inspector general must “report expeditiously to the Attorney General” when there are reasonable grounds to believe a federal crime occurred. Even then, the charging decision belongs to the Justice Department.
That is why the referral’s authors flagged the time limit. Under the general five-year federal rule, and absent exceptions, testimony from March 2026 would remain within the time limit into 2031, after the current presidential term ends. Whether any prosecutor would ever act on it is not known. The exceptions are covered in our limitations-clock explainer.
Congress has its own tools. A Democratic House majority could subpoena DHS contract files and hold hearings, and Rep. Robin Kelly’s impeachment resolution, H.Res. 996, remains referred to the Judiciary Committee. For every referral and request naming administration officials, see our referrals list. Noem’s separate appearance in the deportation-flights contempt dispute is covered in the court findings list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Noem perjury referral?
It is a March 2026 letter from Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Dick Durbin asking the Justice Department to examine whether Kristi Noem made false statements in her early-March testimony to the House and Senate Judiciary committees. It is their allegation; DHS called the perjury claim categorically false.
Has Kristi Noem been charged with perjury?
No. No charge has been reported, and we found no public Justice Department action on the referral. The department called it a political stunt.
Is the DHS inspector general investigating Noem?
CNN and ABC News reported, citing sources, that the DHS inspector general opened a contracting investigation that includes Noem and adviser Corey Lewandowski. The inspector general’s office does not confirm or deny investigations.
Has Corey Lewandowski been referred for prosecution?
No referral has been reported. The Wall Street Journal, as relayed by Mediaite, reported in July 2026 that investigators were weighing one but that none was expected soon. A representative for Lewandowski disputed the allegations.
How long does the Justice Department have to act on the referral?
The referral itself notes a five-year limitation period for perjury and false statements to Congress. For testimony given in March 2026, that general rule would run into 2031, absent exceptions.
Sources
- House, Senate Judiciary Leaders Refer Kristi Noem to Justice Department for Perjury Investigation — House Judiciary Committee Democrats, March 16, 2026
- Top Democrats refer Noem to DOJ for alleged perjury — ABC News, March 16, 2026
- DHS internal watchdog launches investigation into handling of contracts under Noem, Lewandowski — CNN, March 26, 2026
- DHS inspector general probing contracts handled by ex-Secretary Kristi Noem — ABC News (via AOL), April 2, 2026
- US Homeland Security cancels most pending Noem-era contracts after review — Reuters (via WSAU), June 3, 2026
- Some DHS contractors told White House officials they were asked to pay Corey Lewandowski — NBC News, March 19, 2026
- DHS Investigators Weigh Criminal Referral of Corey Lewandowski: Report — Mediaite (relaying The Wall Street Journal), July 10, 2026
- Ranking Members Garcia, Larsen, Thompson Call for Inspector General Investigation into Corey Lewandowski’s Influence over DHS Contracts — House Oversight Committee Democrats, March 18, 2026
- H.Res. 996, Impeaching Kristi Noem (Introduced in House) — U.S. Government Publishing Office, January 14, 2026
- Democrats Prepare for Investigations Into Trump After Midterms — Rolling Stone, October 2026
- 5 U.S. Code § 404 – Duties and responsibilities — Legal Information Institute, current
This article is news reporting and analysis based on the public sources listed above, as they stood on the dates shown. Where officials, lawmakers or analysts disagree, including on whether an action is lawful, their positions are attributed to them; Donald Trump Class Action is not a court and nothing here is legal advice. Facts in a developing story can change.