May 21, Kathmandu-Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, startled members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs during a recent hearing by appearing to misunderstand the meaning of a fundamental constitutional right that the White House is reportedly considering suspending. Citing a claim made by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, Noem stated that the administration is “looking at” suspending habeas corpus in order to expedite the deportation of undocumented immigrants. Habeas corpus, a foundational legal right in the United States since 1789, allows individuals to challenge the legality of their detention. However, when Senator Maggie Hassan asked Noem to define the term, she incorrectly claimed that habeas corpus is “a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.” Hassan quickly corrected her, stating, “That’s incorrect.” In reality, habeas corpus protects all individuals in the U.S., including immigrants, by requiring the government to justify their detention if challenged in court.