AXIOS (Brittany Gibson) - Kristi Noem tightens her grip on the Department of Homeland Security
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has upended DHS staffing in her first year, pairing high-level leadership ousters with a growing staff exodus. Why it matters: Multiple reports describe a culture of fear inside DHS as Noem and her top adviser Corey Lewandowski have fired, reassigned and demoted people throughout the department's 23 sub-agencies. The big picture: About 10% of employees left DHS last year, according to a review by Federal News Network. - Roughly 80% of career leadership at ICE has been fired or demoted under Noem's tenure, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation. The agency is under immense pressure to reach arrest and deportation goals. - This includes the early demotion of the first acting agency…