Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday denied that her department is considering sponsoring a reality show in which immigrants would compete for U.S. citizenship, seeming to contradict the department spokesperson’s comments that the pitch was “in the very beginning states” of the vetting process.
“We have no knowledge of a reality show,” Noem said during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “There may have been something submitted to the department, but I did not know anything about this reality show until the reporter reached out.”
The pitch submitted by Rob Worsoff, a Canadian-born writer, producer and director, for a show titled “The American,” was first reported on Thursday by The Daily Mail, which claimed Noem was a fan of the concept.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin later told HuffPost the pitch was “in the very beginning stages” of the department’s vetting process, but stressed that Noem had never been briefed on the proposal.
“Secretary Noem has not ‘backed’ or even reviewed the pitch of any scripted or reality show,” McLaughlin added.
Noem claimed “that article was completely inaccurate,” an apparent reference to the original Daily Mail report, insisting that “there are no plans whatsoever to do a reality show” as Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) repeatedly pressed her on the topic.
“There may have been something submitted somewhere along the line because there are proposals pitched to the department,” she said. “But me and my executive team have no knowledge of a reality show and it’s not under consideration.”
The Daily Mail defended its reporting in a new article, claiming the outlet has reviewed internal departmental communications that prove Noem both had knowledge of the pitch and was supportive of the idea.
During the hearing, Noem also came under fire for botching the definition of habeas corpus, a constitutional provision used to check the government’s power to detain people.
“Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country and suspend their right to —,” Noem said before Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) interjected.
“That’s incorrect,” the senator shot back, before going on to fact-check Noem.
“Habeas corpus is the foundational right that separates free societies like America from police states like North Korea,” Hassan continued.
