Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Arizona on Wednesday morning, where she rallied hundreds of federal personnel along a stretch of border near Nogales.
Speaking to personnel from the Border Patrol, ICE and other federal agencies, Noem touted the declining number of border arrests under the Trump administration. Behind them, a small section of new steel bollard wall snaked up to a segment of an older bollard fence, topped with razor wire.
“And we’re here to talk about how secure this border is, and to celebrate that we have one year of a secure border and a secure United States of America,” she said. “I want to thank all the individuals I see, from CBP, from ICE, the Coast Guard, I see our law enforcement partners, the Department of War, National Guard, all of our local sheriffs.”
Federal data shows the rate of arrests at the border is the lowest it’s been in decades, though that figure had already plummeted before Trump took office due to Biden-era crackdowns on asylum.
Noem was joined by federal officials — including acting ICE director Todd Lyons and acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, along with Republican Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway — a Democrat whose jurisdiction includes Nogales — says he was not invited to attend.
“Neither she, nor her staff, invited me to her briefing or informed me where it would be held,” Hathaway said in a statement. “Noem was obviously afraid I would refute her false claims about crime rates in this safe border county.”
Noem’s visit comes as Arizona officials and communities try to prepare for ramped-up ICE enforcement.
Shortly after Noem’s address, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office released an online guide for interacting with federal agents.
-
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security purchased a massive warehouse in Surprise for over $70 million, ICE has plans for a 1,500-bed processing facility. -
Among them is a proposed county ordinance banning state, local and federal law enforcement from wearing masks. -
The policy was first laid out last summer and overturned when a federal judge found it violated a U.S. statute guaranteeing lawmakers the right to make unannounced visits to ICE facilities. -
The Phoenix Union High School District has posted a video online educating students and families about their rights when encountering ICE agents. -
Over 1,000 people gathered on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe on Friday as part of a coordinated nationwide protest against increasingly violent enforcement activities, particularly in Minneapolis. -
Businesses and schools across Tucson took part in the national strike, which called for people to stay home from work and school in protest of the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month, along with other ICE actions. -
Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday called the comments by Attorney General Kris Mayes about possible dangers from confrontations between citizens and law enforcement officers "inappropriate."
