Mar 02 2025 3 mins
Kristi Noem, the newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made significant headlines in her first month in office. Confirmed by the Senate on January 25, 2025, with a 59-34 vote, Noem has swiftly returned the DHS to its core mission of securing the homeland, aligning closely with President Trump's policies on border security and immigration enforcement[2][3].
Under Noem's leadership, DHS has seen a marked increase in enforcement activities. ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled, and arrests of fugitives at large have tripled. Single-day border apprehensions have hit a 15-year low, with daily border encounters plummeting by 94% since President Trump took office. Noem personally participated in an ICE operation in New York City, which resulted in the arrest of a Tren de Aragua ringleader[1].
Noem has also made substantial changes to immigration programs. She has ended the previous administration’s extensions of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and Haitians, and returned the Temporary Protected Status program to its original temporary status to prevent abuse and exploitation by illegal aliens. Additionally, she has frozen all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration[1].
To enforce President Trump’s promise of mass deportations, Noem has been detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay. As of recent reports, 176 illegal aliens have been returned to Venezuela from Guantanamo Bay, with 125 of these individuals identified as violent criminals, including Tren de Aragua gang members and drug traffickers[1].
Noem has also deputized various federal and state agencies, including the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Marshals, to assist in immigration operations. Her administration has launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign urging illegal aliens to leave the U.S. voluntarily or face deportation with no chance of return[1].
In addition to her focus on border security, Noem ensured a safe and secure Super Bowl event in New Orleans, highlighting DHS's broader responsibilities beyond immigration enforcement. She has also emphasized the importance of national resilience and combating domestic and international threats, such as cyberattacks, human trafficking, and drug smuggling, during her keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)[1][4].
Noem's commitment to President Trump's policies has been clear, and she has stated that she will deliver programs according to the law without political bias. Her leadership at DHS is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the department's functions, including potential involvement of the military in immigration enforcement and changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency[2].
Overall, Kristi Noem's tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security has been marked by aggressive enforcement of immigration laws, significant operational changes, and a strong alignment with the Trump administration's priorities on border security and national safety.
Under Noem's leadership, DHS has seen a marked increase in enforcement activities. ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled, and arrests of fugitives at large have tripled. Single-day border apprehensions have hit a 15-year low, with daily border encounters plummeting by 94% since President Trump took office. Noem personally participated in an ICE operation in New York City, which resulted in the arrest of a Tren de Aragua ringleader[1].
Noem has also made substantial changes to immigration programs. She has ended the previous administration’s extensions of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and Haitians, and returned the Temporary Protected Status program to its original temporary status to prevent abuse and exploitation by illegal aliens. Additionally, she has frozen all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration[1].
To enforce President Trump’s promise of mass deportations, Noem has been detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay. As of recent reports, 176 illegal aliens have been returned to Venezuela from Guantanamo Bay, with 125 of these individuals identified as violent criminals, including Tren de Aragua gang members and drug traffickers[1].
Noem has also deputized various federal and state agencies, including the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Marshals, to assist in immigration operations. Her administration has launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign urging illegal aliens to leave the U.S. voluntarily or face deportation with no chance of return[1].
In addition to her focus on border security, Noem ensured a safe and secure Super Bowl event in New Orleans, highlighting DHS's broader responsibilities beyond immigration enforcement. She has also emphasized the importance of national resilience and combating domestic and international threats, such as cyberattacks, human trafficking, and drug smuggling, during her keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)[1][4].
Noem's commitment to President Trump's policies has been clear, and she has stated that she will deliver programs according to the law without political bias. Her leadership at DHS is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reshape the department's functions, including potential involvement of the military in immigration enforcement and changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency[2].
Overall, Kristi Noem's tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security has been marked by aggressive enforcement of immigration laws, significant operational changes, and a strong alignment with the Trump administration's priorities on border security and national safety.