A major ICE raid in New York City fell apart after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted about the operation online—while it was still happening.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Noem’s post on X (formerly Twitter) tipped off targets of the early morning raids in January, ruining the element of surprise. One source said the leak led to “fewer arrests than officials had hoped for.”
“Live this AM from NYC. I’m on it,” Noem wrote.
Why the premature post? For the photo op, officials say.
Sources told the Journal that Noem has become more focused on media appearances than on doing the actual work. Her constant photo ops—at the border, with ICE agents, even in front of a notorious prison in El Salvador—have turned her into a walking ad for Trump’s immigration crackdown. But some say it’s hurting more than helping.
Inside the agency, officials are frustrated. The same sources say Noem is barely in the office, spending “a few hours a week” at DHS headquarters—far less than previous secretaries. Her schedule is packed with press events, not policy meetings.
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, tried to downplay the damage. She told the Journal that the raids were “already winding down” when Noem’s post went live.
Still, Washington insiders aren’t buying it. They say this isn’t the first time her publicity stunts have backfired. And the consequences are real.
Even so, McLaughlin defended Noem’s strategy, claiming: “The world is hearing Secretary Noem’s message loud and clear: The border is at its most secure in American history and border encounters are at record lows.”
She added: “Criminal aliens are staying out and migrants are turning back before they ever reach our borders.”
But for agents on the ground, the damage is done. A critical operation was compromised.
