Sen. Thom Tillis sharply criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, calling her leadership a “disaster” and faulting her for mishandling immigration enforcement and disaster response.

The hearing, her first since the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during the Minnesota crackdown, featured hostility from Tillis, Democrats, and skeptical Republicans, with criticism over costly DHS ad campaigns and perceived mismanagement.

Noem defended her actions and denied involvement in hiring the consulting firm behind the ads, calling them “extremely effective,” while Democrats highlighted failures in oversight and alleged cruelty by federal agents.

Lawmakers also questioned her statements labeling Pretti a domestic terrorist and raised concerns about possible ICE or CBP deployments at polling places ahead of the midterms, which Noem did not explicitly rule out, CNBC has reported.

The hearing occurred amid a DHS funding lapse, with Republicans warning the shutdown risks national security during escalating tensions in Iran.