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The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, reignited the immigration debate on Thursday when she told a House subcommittee that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection "are doing the work of God."
The government official of Donald Trump delivered a strong rebuke to those who criticize deportations and immigration enforcement actions, accusing them of "defending people who break the law" and putting federal agents at risk.
During her speech, Noem stated that the officials "are honorable men and women" who protect "their families and neighbors," and criticized lawmakers and activists who protest against ICE. "If they don’t like the law, change it. That’s their job. They should be fired," she asserted.
The statement, celebrated by ICE's official account on X, was accompanied by figures about a supposed 8,000% increase in death threats and over a 1,000% rise in assaults against agents, data that the agency cites to justify the administration's tougher rhetoric.
But Noem's words come at a politically uncomfortable time for her. According to The Washington Post, the secretary is facing increasing scrutiny over her role in Trump's immigration policy and for multi-million dollar aircraft purchases under her leadership.
The Department of Homeland Security acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200 million for the use of high-ranking officials, in addition to signing a contract for $140 million for six Boeing 737s intended for deportations. This expenditure stands in stark contrast to the official's insistence on defending austerity and legal rigor regarding irregular migration.
While U.S. media report that his position may be at risk, the White House and Trump himself have denied any internal tensions. Nevertheless, Noem's appearance made it clear that the administration will continue to employ a moralizing and confrontational discourse to push its immigration agenda, even amid criticisms of opacity, excessive spending, and an increasingly polarized political climate.
His message, rather than calming the waters, seems designed to reignite the political war surrounding migration, a battle that defines not only the U.S. border but also the future of thousands of Latin American families, especially Cubans, caught between laws, rhetoric, and decisions that rarely take their real lives into account.
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