Freshly minted Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem — the former South Dakota governor known for killing her dog and telling everyone about it — accompanied U.S. immigration agents Tuesday as they raided residences in New York City. After showing up for the photo op in full glam with curled extensions, Noem stopped by Fox News, where she bragged about the success of the raids. “We’ve just gotten started,” Noem told Sean Hannity. “We are picking up the worst of the worst in this country.”
“If you’re an illegal and if you’re dangerous, we have a target on you, and you will not be welcome,” she added. “And we will remove you and have consequences.”
According to the Washington Post, Trump officials have asked ICE to arrest “at least 1,200 to 1,500” people per day with raids already taking place from Newark and Miami to Austin and Chicago. Per Human Rights Watch, in addition to the obvious distress these threats cause families, the deportation centers where migrants are often held put individuals at high risk for trauma, suicidal feelings, insufficient medical care, and, in some cases, sexual assault. And while Noem would like us to believe they’re mainly targeting “career criminals,” mass deportations will impact nonviolent immigrants trying to build a life in the U.S.
As for Noem, it sounds like she plans to keep herself front and center. “I will be out there with our agents and with our law-enforcement officers, our Border Patrol,” she said on Fox. “I will be with all of them because I think that when I’m there, they know they have a leader that supports them, but also I’m learning from them.” Seems like we can expect more ICE-raid photo shoots.