Kristi Noem Doesn’t Know What ‘Habeas Corpus’ Is

When Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) asked Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for the definition of “habeas corpus,” Noem incorrectly described it as a right that the President of the United States has to deport people.

Jonathan Chait: “At this point, Hassan interjected to explain that habeas corpus is, in fact, ‘the legal principle that requires that the government provide a public reason for detaining and imprisoning people.’ In other words, it’s the opposite of what Noem said. It’s not a right the president possesses, but a right the people possess against the president.”