DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Addresses Staff and Immigration Policies
Secretary Kristi Noem of DHS addressed her staff after an immigration raid in NYC, emphasizing her commitment to the department's mission and the new immigration policies under Trump's agenda.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed her staff on Tuesday in a televised speech, shortly after participating in a deportation raid in New York City.
Noem emphasized the significance of their mission, stating, "Your mission is big and it's vast. And I know that you approach it with a seriousness of which the day and age in which we live in requires." She expressed her commitment to fulfilling their duties, challenging her team to anticipate needs before they arise.
In her address, Noem asserted that her department has "jurisdiction over everything" regarding anyone in the country and all activities conducted online, adding, "Virtually, I tell people we have jurisdiction over everything."
Noem revealed that she had requested President Donald Trump to allow her to lead DHS, acknowledging the job as the president's top priority.
Trump has consistently prioritized immigration, beginning with his 2015 campaign announcement proposing the construction of a border wall.
Now, ten years later, he plans to sign the Laken Riley Act, granting DHS authority to detain illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds. This bill, named after a university student murdered by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant, will be his first piece of legislation passed in his second term.
Since Trump's recent inauguration, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been deporting criminal illegal migrants in various cities, with the New York operation being the first under this administration.
Noem shared photos of her involvement in the New York raids on social media, thanking the officers involved for their bravery.
She acknowledged the challenges facing DHS, but reassured her team that they are the first line of defense for anyone in the American homeland, vowing to support Trump's agenda.
Some global leaders, including Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, have resisted Trump's efforts to send deportees back. Following a dispute on social media, Trump threatened to impose tariffs and visa restrictions unless Petro complied with his demands, which Petro subsequently accepted.
DHS, founded in 2002 following the 9/11 attacks, employs over 260,000 workers across various agencies. Noem began her role officially on Saturday after a Senate vote confirmed her position.
