Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the administration’s immigration enforcement policies during an exchange with Dan Bongino, stating that individuals in the country illegally are being processed according to law and that enforcement actions reflect President Trump’s promises.
Bongino framed the administration’s position directly.
“If you’re here illegally, you’re going to go,” he said.
“That’s right, every single individual has received due process. They’ve been through the procedure and the legal remedy for dealing with individuals who don’t have legal status in our country,” Noem responded.
Noem said she has pushed back on criticism from lawmakers.
“I tell members of Congress all the time who are out there creating false narratives and spewing rhetoric, we just follow the law. What the Department of Homeland Security is doing is what the last administration should have done. We follow the law, and we’ve won many of the challenges in court,” she said.
She also accused media outlets of misrepresenting DHS actions.
“But every single day, the media individuals lie about the work that we’re doing and what we’re doing is specifically what President Trump promised. He just promised he’d make America safe again. He’d go after criminals, and he’d deport them out of the country so they couldn’t continue to victimize American families. And we’ve been incredibly successful with that.”
Noem said that enforcement has sent a message internationally.
“And in fact, just by enforcing the law, we’ve sent the message clearly around the world that, you know, the United States, you can’t come here illegally anymore. We now have a border, and we’re enforcing that.”
She also referenced a program offering financial assistance for voluntary departures.
“We’ve had millions of people that have left our country voluntarily, that we have given them $1 $1,000 before we’ve now upped it to $2,600 and a plane ticket, and they can go home the right way and get the chance to come back to the United States.”
According to Noem, the strategy has reduced the number of people attempting to enter the country illegally.
“But the sending that message has slowed down the flood of people that were coming to the United States and making sure that we’re enforcing our laws, encouraging people to go back home, make your life in your country, and then when you want to become an American, that do it the right way and follow our laws.”
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