Top Trump official torches Dem senator's 'advocacy for a known terrorist' during fiery hearing: 'Alarming'

"We have a limited amount of time. I just asked you, Madam Secretary, whether or not you or the Department of Homeland Security are taking any action to facilitate the 9-0 Supreme Court decision to facilitate his return. This is a very simple question. Are you taking any action to facilitate his return, or are you not?" Van Hollen asked at the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing. 

"This administration is following and complying with all federal court orders," Noem replied. 

"So you are so because the court ordered that you facilitate his return. So you are facilitating his return?"

"Sir. Senator, thank you for the question. But what I would tell you is that we are following court orders. I'm certain that your advocacy for a known terrorist is alarming," she fired back.

"Abrego Garcia is a citizen of El Salvador and should never have been in this country and will not be coming back to this country," Noem told Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., in a heated exchange at the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday morning.

"There is no scenario where an Abrego Garcia will be in the United States again. If he were to come back, we would immediately deport him again because he is a terrorist. He's a human smuggler, and he is a wife-beater," she continued.

"Does the Supreme Court decision not require you to facilitate the return of Mr. Abrego Garcia?" Murphy later asked.

"The Trump administration is complying with all court orders and judges' orders," she replied.

Though many Democrats, including Maryland's Van Hollen, claim that Abrego Garcia is an innocent man who was "wrongly deported," the administration has pointed to considerable evidence that he is a member of the infamous MS-13 gang.

Noem faced mixed reactions of praise and intense criticism at the hearing on Thursday, as Republicans applauded the department's efforts on illegal immigration, whereas Democrats raised concerns about spending and legal processes.

Fox News' Peter Pinedo, Emma Colton and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.