Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday evening on Fox News that her agency has identified some of the “leakers” responsible for releasing internal information.
On Feb. 10, Noem suggested that “corrupt” FBI agents were behind a leaked memo about an upcoming “large-scale” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in the Los Angeles area, which was obtained by the Los Angeles Times. With border czar Tom Homan echoing the secretary’s suspicions a day later, Noem said on “Hannity” that “some” of the internal leakers had been caught, but she did not specify which agency they belonged to or how many there were.
“I have found some leakers. We are continuing to get more. They will be fired. There will be consequences. And, remember, when they leak information to the press in order to blow an op, they are putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” Noem said. “They are risking their lives and putting their families in the position where they have to live without those individuals any further.”
“We have used every tactic that we have. If you remember, we talked just last week about how I’m using polygraphs to go after and to really interview these folks because we are a national security agency. I have that tool I can use. Also looking at their emails, looking at their communications,” Noem added. “It’s amazing how these bureaucrats who have an agenda to stop the work that we’re doing to bring safety to America, how they will sell each other down the river if it’s just to protect themselves. So don’t worry. I am doing everything to find these leakers and to get rid of them so that we can do our work and our law enforcement officers and agents can do it safely.”
Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the president has reversed a number of Biden-Harris administration policies on immigration, allowing ICE agents to arrest “criminal aliens,” including rapists and murderers. However, protests have been held in sanctuary cities like Los Angeles, calling for an end to the mass deportations.
While ICE has already conducted raids throughout the country, the Los Angeles Times obtained an internal memo, publishing a report on Feb. 7 about federal law enforcement agents planning a “large-scale” raid in the Los Angeles area before the end of February. Host Sean Hannity later asked Noem if leaking the information was “a crime,” saying that the release of such details could put agents’ lives “in jeopardy.”
“Absolutely. When they are breaking the law, we are prosecuting and holding them accountable to it,” Noem said. “So, you know, we’re not here to play games. This is about America. Any law enforcement officer that serves and partners not only with the Department of Homeland Security, but partners with us, listen, we respect you.”
“We honor the work that you do. We will take care of your family. We will take care of you. And we’ll go after those that threaten your lives by leaking this type of information,” Noem said.
Following the leaks, both Homan and Noem said they would identify those responsible for the information being released, with Noem warning employees that polygraph tests would be used, according to Bloomberg.
The DHS has yet to provide further details on how many leaks have been identified or which agency the caught individuals belonged to.
Story by Hailey Gomez of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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