The former Trump administration official who is centering a congressional campaign around her work for the ousted Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is employing the firm at the center of a scandal-plagued $200 million contract, which is run by the husband of another one of Noem&#8217;s top confidants.
Madison Sheahan, a junior political aide from Noem&#8217;s time as South Dakota governor who was installed as deputy director of ICE, is now running for congress in Ohio–while living with her parents–as the woman who oversaw &#8220;strategy and execution in support of border security&#8221; for the Trump administration.
Doing work on her campaign is the Strategy Group, CEO Ben Yoho told The Daily Wire. Yoho is married to Tricia McLaughlin, who The Daily Wire has learned was closely involved in the procurement process that led to her husband profiting off of a $200 million ad campaign.
A current DHS official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Daily Wire that McLaughlin, the former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, had significant involvement in the procurement process, and is on emails about the vendor selection. That information is contrary to Noem&#8217;s testimony to Congress, when she said that the contract &#8220;went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
Noem was fired last week, in part over her handling of the $200 million ad campaign. She will leave her DHS post at the end of March.
McLaughlin acknowledged to The Daily Wire that she was part of a group of officials that heard presentations from each company that was considered for the work in February 2025. One of the successful firms later subcontracted to McLaughlin&#8217;s husband’s company, though they didn&#8217;t marry until August.
McLaughlin said DHS has no control over who a firm subcontracts with, and that she recused herself from any involvement after learning that it had subcontracted with her husband.
The admission by McLaughlin means that both portions of Noem&#8217;s testimony–that the contracts were competed and were chosen by career officials–were misleading. The Daily Wire previously reported that only three firms – approached by DHS in advance – were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony">allowed</a> to bid. DHS said it selected them by reviewing &#8220;websites&#8221; and &#8220;industry publications,&#8221; even though such reviews would have brought up little information about the firms, all of which were politically connected.
McLaughlin told The Daily Wire that the companies made pitches to &#8220;me and a group of officials.” A justification for departing from the practice of open bidding is signed by four people whose names are redacted. One, with the title “Program Office Representative,&#8221; might contain her signature, she said, since the ads fell under her department.
Two of the three companies received contracts. Safe America Media LLC, which was incorporated just days earlier, wound up subcontracting production work to the Strategy Group, McLaughlin&#8217;s husband&#8217;s firm. Strategy Group had also done Noem&#8217;s media as governor, after, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-03-06/noem-dhs-ad-blitz-benefits-firms-linked-to-trump-campaigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a> reported, the firm was introduced to Noem by Corey Lewandowski, her top aide at DHS and rumored affair partner
McLaughlin said Safe America Media LLC was one of three that DHS asked to bid because the group of DHS officials knew it was run by Patrick McCarthy and Mike McElwain, who “are some of the best in the business, they&#8217;ve had a storied, illustrious career.&#8221;
&#8220;I was just one of the people involved,&#8221; she told The Daily Wire.
The second firm was People Who Think LLC, which had overlapped with Noem aides through a previous campaign in Louisiana for Gov. Jeff Landry. Lewandowski worked for the campaign, and Strategy Group <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-strategy-group-company_congratulations-to-governor-elect-jeff-landry-activity-7119740763407618048-o9Up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ran ads</a> for a PAC supporting his bid.
“People Who Think is a storied company. These people all went through presentations,” McLaughlin said. McLaughlin sent a statement from DHS General Counsel James Percival calling allegations against her baseless.
&#8220;I have personally reviewed the allegations against Ms. McLaughlin, and I find them to be baseless,&#8221; Percival said. &#8220;Nothing illegal or unethical occurred with respect to these contracts. Ms. McLaughlin was not involved in selecting any subcontractors.”
Sheahan also previously worked for Landry. The congressional hopeful graduated college in 2019 before working as then-Gov. Noem&#8217;s political director. From January 2024 to March 2025, she worked for Gov. Landry as Louisiana&#8217;s Secretary of Wildlife and Fisheries, or so-called &#8220;fish cop.&#8221;
An Ohio blog called <a href="https://www.rooster.info/p/madison-sheahan-oh09-bob-paduchik-ben-yoho-garrett-arnold-corey-lewandowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Rooster</a> claimed that Sheahan&#8217;s appointment in the Landry administration was orchestrated by Lewandowski. It said after Louisiana fishermen were baffled by the pick, she cited her time on Ohio State&#8217;s rowing team as bona fides.
Noem then baffled Washington by picking Sheahan, who turned 28 that month, for one of the most important positions in the Trump administration&#8217;s signature effort to deport illegal immigrants. Sheahan mused to<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/kristi-noem-corey-lewandowski-dhs-fema-trump-enforcers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> New York Magazine</a>: &#8220;At the end of the day, what really makes anybody qualified for any job?”&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1058073" style="width: 781px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1058073" class="size-large wp-image-1058073" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-771x576.jpg" alt="" width="771" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-771x576.jpg 771w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-300x224.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-768x574.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-1536x1148.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Sheahan-ad-2048x1530.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" />Screenshot of Sheahan ad featuring Kristi Noem</div>
Sheahan has been at the center of concerns about spending decisions at the department under Noem.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/noem-handpicked-contractors-lead-100-million-ice-recruitment-campaign-rcna261968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> reported last week that Sheahan steered a second set of lucrative contracts – this time advertising to recruit ICE employees – to the same two firms. NBC said that Sheahan &#8220;threatened the job of an ICE employee for suggesting that the agency consider other contractors, according to internal communications. Sheahan said the contract award was &#8216;a decision made by the secretary,&#8217; according to internal communications.&#8221;
In September 2025, the<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/editorial-photos-videos/detail?itemid=68360fad2b024f0b8e90f5a03f8822bd&amp;mediatype=video" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Associated Press</a> photographed Noem, Sheahan, and Landry at a new ICE prison in the state, with Landry saying, &#8220;I&#8217;m proud to stand alongside Secretary Noem, General Bondi, Deputy Director Sheahan as we announce the opening of the Louisiana lockup, which will house the worst of the worst illegal criminal aliens.&#8221; ICE paid the state more than<a href="https://lailluminator.com/briefs/ice-angola/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> $1 million</a> a month to use the facility.
The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/4478925/deputy-director-ice-bought-thousands-marked-vehicles-cannot-use/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Examiner</a> reported this week that Sheahan, with the support of Lewandowski, had ICE purchase millions of dollars in vehicles wrapped in flashy DHS logos and slogans. The vehicles were purchased without competition, and couldn&#8217;t be used because ICE apprehends illegal immigrants by deploying unmarked vehicles, the report claimed.
DHS denied the vehicles weren&#8217;t being used in a statement to The Daily Wire: “Any allegation that these new vehicles are not being used is FALSE.”
“Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE finally has the resources to grow its workforce to support ICE’s mission, and that will include all types of additional vehicles,” the agency said. “These specific vehicles are supplementing the existing ICE fleet and support operations across the country.”
During the 2020 election, Sheahan was put in charge of a Wisconsin recount that wound up increasing Kamala Harris&#8217; margin of victory, a GOP operative told The Daily Wire on condition of anonymity.
&#8220;She was walking around with a lot of self-importance without actually doing a whole lot,&#8221; the operative said. He said Sheahan was brought onto the Trump campaign by Clayton Henson, a Trump campaign regional director who, like McLaughlin and Sheahan, is an operative from Ohio.
Sheahan resigned from ICE in January to run for Congress in Ohio after, The Rooster claimed, Henson played a role in redistricting. She referred questions to a consultant, Bob Paduchik, who declined to speak on the record.

Screenshot

Firm At Center Of $200M Contract That Led To Noem Ouster Tied To Two Top Officials

Department of Homeland Security

Kristi Noem

The writing was already on the wall before President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem from her post as Homeland Security Secretary.
Key officials tied to some projects that have received massive scrutiny for their hefty price tags left the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the weeks leading up to Noem&#8217;s ouster.
Tricia McLaughlin, Noem&#8217;s chief spokeswoman, left the agency last month. At the time, DHS said she began planning to leave in December, but stayed on in the aftermath of the two fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January.
McLaughlin was tied to the scandal that led to Noem&#8217;s demise involving $200 million contracts for flashy TV ads promoting the secretary.
Last week, Noem testified to Congress that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Records obtained by The Daily Wire</a> showed that the contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition” to a company formed days before. That company subcontracted some of the work to a group run by McLaughlin&#8217;s husband.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), on behalf of the Office of DHS Public Affairs office intends to limit competition to three contractors,” a justification for the decision said.
A competition waiver stated that the department researched the internet and “industry publications” to choose Safe America Media LLC to produce the ads.
The subcontractor, Strategy Group, said Tuesday it “has never had a contract with DHS,” adding that “We had a subcontract with Safe America for limited production services.”
“Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements,” the company said.
McLaughlin referred The Daily Wire to a recent statement from DHS General Counsel James Percival, who said he&#8217;s &#8220;personally reviewed the allegations&#8221; against her and &#8220;find them to be baseless.&#8221;
&#8220;Nothing illegal or unethical occurred with respect to these contracts. Ms. McLaughlin was not involved in selecting any subcontractors. She is, however, a superstar in the public affairs world, so I am not surprised that she married a successful businessman whose services were attractive to these outside firms,&#8221; Percival said.
McLaughlin herself said in a phone conversation with The Daily Wire that &#8220;As soon as it became clear that my husband&#8217;s firm would at all be involved in subcontracting, which subcontracting DHS has no &#8230; there&#8217;s no legal mechanism that we can dictate who is subcontracted to,&#8221; adding &#8220;So as soon as that became clear to me &#8230; I immediately firewalled, recused myself from anything with subcontractors.&#8221;
Then-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Madison Sheahan, who left the Trump administration in January to launch a campaign for Congress in Ohio, was involved in a separate $100 million campaign to recruit more immigration officers, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/noem-handpicked-contractors-lead-100-million-ice-recruitment-campaign-rcna261968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to NBC News. The contract was awarded to People Who Think and Safe America Media.
Sheahan previously served as the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and worked for Noem as she served as the South Dakota governor.
But before it was handed out to those groups, Sheahan battled with an ICE employee she threatened after he suggested that the agency consider other contractors that were offering to do the work for a cheaper price, according to NBC, which cited internal communications. The decision to award the contract, she said, was &#8220;made by the secretary.&#8221;
Sheahan called the employee into her office before yelling at him for trying to go against the secretary, an administration official who heard the conversation told NBC.
The employee eventually gave up the fight and let the contracts go to the companies of Noem&#8217;s choosing, according to the report.
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We will have our country back.<a href="https://t.co/nZkBEj4evQ">https://t.co/nZkBEj4evQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/gYKzwMJV52">pic.twitter.com/gYKzwMJV52</a>
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1956091376246071553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sheahan also wasted millions in taxpayer funds to purchase a couple of thousand flashy pickup trucks and SUVs emblazoned with ICE&#8217;s logo, despite agents working in a heightened threat environment, <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/immigration/4478925/deputy-director-ice-bought-thousands-marked-vehicles-cannot-use/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Washington Examiner.
Three Homeland Security sources told The Daily Wire they believe the cars only exposed them at a time when threats against ICE are at an all-time high. The sources were granted anonymity because they&#8217;re not authorized to speak publicly.
The agency traditionally uses unmarked vehicles to maintain the element of surprise and protect their safety. ICE agents currently face an 8,000% increase in death threats and a 1,300% surge in assaults, according to DHS.
One source called the decision to deploy the cars &#8220;absurd,&#8221; adding that agents who were forced to use the cars &#8220;were apoplectic&#8221; feeling they put a &#8220;huge target on them.&#8221;
Another source said it &#8220;does not make sense&#8221; &#8220;for an agency that arrests individuals hiding and trying to prevent us from doing our job.&#8221;
&#8220;The need for surveillance, the element of surprise, and the need to remain inconspicuous, requires the use of unmarked vehicles,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;We would never be able to arrest anyone rolling around in a marked ICE vehicle that would alert anyone and everyone to our presence in the area.&#8221;
DHS pushed back on claims that the cars were a waste of taxpayer funds, telling The Daily Wire that &#8220;Any allegation that these new vehicles are not being used is FALSE.&#8221;
“Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE finally has the resources to grow its workforce to support ICE’s mission, and that will include all types of additional vehicles,&#8221; the agency said. &#8220;These specific vehicles are supplementing the existing ICE fleet and support operations across the country.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-IMMIGRATION-ICE-PRISON

Before Noem’s Ouster, Key Officials Tied To Costly And Wasteful Projects Left DHS

Donald Trump

Homeland Security agents are largely ready for new leadership after President Donald Trump ousted Kristi Noem as their boss on Thursday.
One Border Patrol official said Noem&#8217;s ousting &#8220;was bound to happen,&#8221; citing her handling of immigration raids in Minneapolis.
Noem received backlash for labeling Alex Pretti, the anti-ICE activist who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, as a domestic terrorist before a federal investigation concluded.
The agent also cited scrutiny Noem received for a <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/4444838/dhs-officials-point-fingers-delay-border-wall-construction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> delay in border wall construction and an internal campaign the secretary reportedly spearheaded to oust Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott.
Scott is highly respected among federal law enforcement officials and previously served as the national chief of Border Patrol.
&#8220;It was a questionable pick to begin with, no experience in the space,&#8221; the agent said. &#8220;What a train wreck.&#8221;
&#8220;Between the Minneapolis debacle, the slowdown on approving wall contracts, the suspected affair, and the attempt to oust Rodney, one of the most respected chiefs, she needed to go. What a disaster of a secretary,&#8221; the agent added.
One Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer said the news of Noem&#8217;s departure was &#8220;not surprising&#8221; after Trump replaced Noem&#8217;s ally and top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was leading aggressive immigration raids in Minneapolis, after the Pretti shooting.
Trump swiftly sent in White House border czar Tom Homan, who shifted to conducting more targeted arrests in the Twin Cities, while brokering agreements with local law enforcement to work with ICE.
&#8220;After she was pulled from Minneapolis and replaced by Homan, I saw the writing on the wall,&#8221; the officer said.
A Border Patrol agent echoed that sentiment, saying Noem wasn&#8217;t &#8220;listening to Homan and Scott.&#8221; The agent said she also &#8220;threw Bovino to the wolves.&#8221;
Trump announced Noem&#8217;s demotion in a Truth Social post, saying he will replace her with Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a staunch ally of the president. Noem&#8217;s firing came after she blamed Trump during a heated Congressional hearing for questionable $200 million TV ad contracts that promoted deportations and border security.
Hours before announcing the leadership change, Trump told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
But the contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition” to a company formed days before, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to records obtained by The Daily Wire</a>. That company then subcontracted the work to a group run by the husband of Noem&#8217;s former spokeswoman.
Now, Mullin will have to earn the trust of career law enforcement officials at the Department of Homeland Security who took issue with Noem over her lack of experience in the space.
Mullin doesn&#8217;t have law enforcement experience either, but is a businessman, rancher, and MMA fighter, according to his official bio.
Republican North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who has been calling on Noem to resign for weeks, said Mullin &#8220;is a great guy and a great choice to lead DHS, restore competence, and refocus efforts on quickly distributing disaster aid, keeping the border secure, and targeting violent illegal immigrants for deportation.&#8221;
&#8220;Another big positive: he likes dogs,&#8221; he added, referring to Noem&#8217;s book where she admitted to shooting her dog for misbehaving during a hunting outing.
Noem will finish out her term as secretary through the end of the month before Mullin takes over and begins a confirmation process, Trump said.
While Mullin has been characterized as a hawk on cracking down on illegal immigration and supporting Trump&#8217;s mass deportation campaign, he received a C+ for his record on restricting legal immigration by the conservative immigration group <a href="https://www.numbersusa.com/grades/11605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NumbersUSA</a>.
Mullin has yet to support legislation requiring employers to use the E-Verify immigration status check, according to the conservative organization.
He has also yet to join in on legislation to end chain migration, end birthright citizenship, and limit the number of foreign workers in the United States.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies During House Judiciary Committee Hearing

DHS Rank And File Aren’t So Sad To See Noem Go

Rank And File At DHS Aren't So Sad To See Noem Go And Here's What Could Change

Markwayne Mullin

NASHVILLE—“You go into these positions understanding that your shelf life can be limited and you&#8217;re also always walking on eggs. We all work by the grace of somebody.” 
That was the response from Errol, a law enforcement officer from New York, minutes after listening to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem address law enforcement from around the country shortly after she was reassigned by President Donald Trump.
At 1:41 p.m., Trump announced on Truth Social that he was moving Noem from head of the Department of Homeland Security to a special envoy for a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere. He said Noem would be replaced by Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin. 
Roughly 25 minutes later, Noem walked onto the stage in a conference room of the Grand Hyatt Hotel off Broadway to talk to law enforcement gathered for the Major Cities Conference organized by the Sergeants Benevolent Association. 
During her speech to law enforcement gathered for the Major Cities Conference, Noem spoke for roughly 35 minutes about the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, efforts to work with local law enforcement, and support for the families of law enforcement officers. She did not discuss her new role or take questions about her replacement at DHS. 
&#8220;Thank you for all that you do to keep people safe and to hold your oath, to be out in our communities, protecting people from public safety threats, but also being an example to our next generation of Americans,&#8221; Noem said.
Noem touted the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to crack down on crime in cities like Memphis and its partnership with local law enforcement agencies on immigration enforcement throughout her speech.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Noem just left. No questions about Trump reassigning her from being DHS secretary <a href="https://t.co/tDEDp7fZlt">pic.twitter.com/tDEDp7fZlt</a>
— Leif Le Mahieu (@leif_lemahieu) <a href="https://twitter.com/leif_lemahieu/status/2029643369920774339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Noem took a few questions after her speech from several attendees in front of the crowd of attendees and a few who were lined up by the staff. None of those who asked questions mentioned her replacement at DHS.
In the minutes leading up to the speech, attendees started buzzing as the news broke. One man walked by the section where the press was delegated to in the back and excitedly asked if reporters had seen Trump’s post. 
After the speech, The Daily Wire spoke with multiple attendees from coast to coast. They all praised the Trump administration’s strong support for law enforcement and said they appreciated Noem’s speech. 
Joel, a police officer from Milwaukee, said he thought the speech was “very good” and said he thought Noem did a “great job” as head of DHS. 
“He’s [Trump] done this with other people. I don’t necessarily think that it means that she didn’t do a good job. I just think Trump likes to shake things up,” he said. “Maybe with everything that’s going on, he just wants someone to get a different voice. I saw that he’s going to move her to another position, so it’s not like he’s firing her like people want to put out there and say, because they want to make her look bad.” 
He added that he had a “lot of respect” for Noem and that she still gave the speech despite the news breaking minutes before. 
Stephen, from Central California, said he saw the news break and was wondering if Noem would show up for the speech. 
“I thought she was doing a good job. You get politics at that highest level, which is kind of the nature of it,” adding that it was “pretty rare” for a cabinet secretary to make it the entire presidency. 
Errol from New York said he thought Noem’s speech was “excellent” and said it was nice to hear her speak. 
Noem’s tenure as head of DHS comes to an end after a heated Senate hearing, in which Noem blamed Trump for approving questionable contracts worth over $200 million for deportation ads, which raised <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">concerns</a> about potential conflicts of interest.

MixCollage-05-Mar-2026-03-35-PM-3998

Minutes After Trump Replaced Her, Noem Highlights Key Point About Her Work

Law Enforcement

Nashville

Tennessee

Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma told reporters on Thursday that he called his wife and his dad after President Donald Trump asked him to take over at the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump announced on Truth Social that Mullin would take over for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem beginning on March 31, pending Mullin&#8217;s Senate confirmation. The Oklahoma senator told reporters on Capitol Hill that he received the call from Trump just minutes before Trump released his statement.
Mullin described the opportunity as exciting and humbling, adding, &#8220;I had to call my dad because, I mean, it happened quick, so I had to call my wife and call my dad both. It&#8217;s just really humbling when you stop and think about it. A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma, gets to serve in the president&#8217;s Cabinet. That&#8217;s pretty neat.&#8221;
Trump&#8217;s major Cabinet shakeup comes after Noem has faced criticism over the Homeland Security Department&#8217;s response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Noem was also grilled by lawmakers in a Senate hearing earlier this week and said that Trump approved <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">questionable contracts</a> for advertisements starring the DHS secretary worth over $200 million. The president said on Thursday that Noem will be reassigned to help lead a new security initiative that is set to be announced on Saturday.
In his announcement, Trump said that Noem had served the administration &#8220;well and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!).&#8221; The president added, &#8220;I thank Kristi for her service at &#8216;Homeland.'&#8221;
Mullin, a close friend of Noem&#8217;s, told reporters that he hadn&#8217;t yet spoken to the ousted DHS secretary, but would soon.
&#8220;Our families are very close, and this happened very quick, so we&#8217;re going to go have a conversation with her in just a second,&#8221; he said.
Trump called Mullin a &#8220;warrior&#8221; and said the Oklahoman &#8220;will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.&#8221;
Mullin has served in the Senate since 2023 and was a member of the House for 10 years before that. He currently serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Appropriations Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Indian Affairs Committee. Mullin is also a former wrestler and professional mixed martial arts fighter who posted a 5-0 career record in MMA.

A ‘Humbled’ Markwayne Mullin Reveals Who He Called First After He Was Tapped For DHS Secretary

Executive

Politics

President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Thursday after she found herself at the center of multiple scandals.
&#8220;I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,&#8221; Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Thursday
&#8220;The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at &#8216;Homeland,'&#8221; he added.
Noem thanked Trump in a post on X, saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth &#8220;are incredible leaders&#8221; and that she looks &#8220;forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> are incredible leaders and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2029647010002055467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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It comes after a heated Senate hearing, in which Noem blamed Trump for approving questionable contracts worth over $200 million for deportation ads, which raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Trump himself told Reuters that he had no knowledge of the expensive contracts.
Noem testified that the contracts “went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
The contracts were awarded using “other than full and open competition,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/docs-show-dhs-specifically-steered-200m-ad-contracts-raising-questions-about-noems-testimony?author=Luke+Rosiak&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Docs+Show+DHS+Specifically+Steered+%24200M+Ad+Contracts%2C+Raising+Questions+About+Noem%E2%80%99s+Testimony">according to records obtained by The Daily Wire</a>.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), on behalf of the Office of DHS Public Affairs office intends to limit competition to three contractors,&#8221; a justification for the decision said.
A competition waiver stated that the department used internet research and “industry publications” to identify Safe America Media LLC as the primary company capable of taking on the ad campaign. Safe America Media was only incorporated days before.
The Strategy Group said Tuesday it “has never had a contract with DHS,” adding that “We had a subcontract with Safe America for limited production services.”
“Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements,” the company said.
“If you’re going to try to question our integrity, bring actual evidence – we did,” the statement concluded.
Trump announced that Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace Noem.
&#8220;Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties — in 2016, 2020, and 2024! A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,&#8221; Trump said in his Truth Social post.
&#8220;As the only Native American in the Senate, Markwayne is a fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities. Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN. Markwayne will make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
Mullin called the announcement &#8220;humbling,&#8221; adding that &#8220;it happened quick.&#8221;
He said he learned of Trump&#8217;s decision &#8220;right before&#8221; the Truth Social post.

READ: Trump’s Pink Slip Post Replacing Kristi Noem As DHS Chief

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) only allowed four hand-picked companies to bid on a $200 million ad campaign, including a brand new company that later subcontracted the work to the spouse of a top department official, a document reviewed by The Daily Wire shows.
The records raise questions about the testimony by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the Senate on Tuesday, in which she told senators that contracts for a television ad campaign starring herself &#8220;went out to a competitive bid and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.”
Procurement records show that the anti-illegal immigration ad work was awarded using &#8220;other than full and open competition.&#8221; A <a href="https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/73477226ef6b4bd093263512124126e9/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">justification</a> for that decision says, &#8220;The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO), on behalf of the Office of DHS Public Affairs office intends to limit competition to three contractors.&#8221;
The competition waiver suggested the department used internet research and &#8220;industry publications&#8221; to identify Safe America Media LLC as one of only four companies capable of quickly doing a successful $200 million ad campaign, even though Safe America Media was only incorporated days earlier. A Google search brings up little web presence or industry publications about the firm.
&#8220;DHS reviewed industry publications, analyzed recent DHS initiatives, and evaluated vendors specializing in hyper-targeted media and advertising services. Targeted sources included government websites, industry articles, vendor platforms, and subject matter expertise. Given the immediate action to significantly reduce illegal immigration and border crossings, DHS identified four companies that specialize in domestic and international advertising campaign development, media buying, and media production. These companies are positioned, based on available resources and capabilities, to respond to this immediate need,&#8221; the justification said.
Three of those four companies &#8220;expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.&#8221; The first was Safe America Media, which ultimately got the contract, and which later subcontracted a portion of the work to Strategy Group. That company is run by Ben Yoho, the husband of Noem&#8217;s first Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin.
After Noem was grilled on Capitol Hill about the contracts, Strategy Group <a href="https://x.com/StrategyGroupCo/status/2028931636314710113">posted</a> a response on X, confirming they were subcontracted through Safe America and were paid more than $200,000 for five film shoots and 51 advertisements.
Safe America Media LLC was registered by Mike McElwain, who has worked in the conservative ad industry through the firm DMM Media, though that firm also has little online presence.
Safe America Media LLC was incorporated in Delaware on February 6, 2025. The contract was awarded one week later, on February 13. That leaves just seven days for &#8220;government websites&#8221; and &#8220;industry publications&#8221; to have been written about the firm, to have led DHS to conclude that it was one of the only companies that could do the work, to approach the firm, and for it to write back with its interest.
People Who Think LLC, the second company suggested for the contract by DHS, is based in Louisiana and is linked to Innovative Advertising LLC. Its website is just an empty <a href="https://peoplewhothink.com/lander/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landing page</a>. As of 2022, it had a federal tax lien against it, and as of 2020, it owed money to the Small Business Administration, according to a database of corporation records. The Daily Wire called for comment, but its number had been disconnected.
Its phone number is also shared by Innovative Politics, which <a href="https://innovativepolitics.com/clients/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lists</a> as a client the Trump 2016 campaign and the Louisiana Attorney General campaign of Jeff Landry. Corey Lewandowski, a top Noem adviser, previously <a href="https://lailluminator.com/2023/09/20/jeff-landry-campaign-hires-ex-trump-adviser-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked for</a> Landry&#8217;s campaign.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1053841" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract.jpg" alt="" width="1772" height="736" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract.jpg 1772w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-300x125.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-1024x425.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-768x319.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/dhs-contract-1536x638.jpg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1772px) 100vw, 1772px" /></div>
The third company that was allowed to bid on the contract is redacted in the document, but The Daily Wire has learned that it is Knox Strategies, the firm of Erica Knight, a onetime spokeswoman for now-FBI Director Kash Patel. Knight is the only employee listed on the firm&#8217;s <a href="https://www.knoxstrats.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which does not list ad campaigns as one of its services. Knight told The Daily Wire she received no money from DHS, and has done no work for the department.
Both Safe America Media LLC and People Who Think LLC were <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000004_7001">awarded</a> <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000003_7001">lucrative</a> open-ended &#8220;indefinite delivery&#8221; contracts, giving them the ability to keep getting additional work without new solicitations, up to $200 million, through February 2027.
In November 2025, that was modified to raise the ceiling to $240 million. Safe America Media LLC was paid $62 million for work beginning in February 2025, $15 million for work beginning in August 2025, and $65 million for work taking place from August 2025 to February 21, 2026. McLaughlin left the administration in February 2026.
People Who Think was <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000003_7001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paid</a> $77 million, according to contract records, with the most recent tranche of $25 million covering from September 2025 to March 25, 2026.
The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14664625/Kristi-Noem-Corey-Lewandowski-DC-living-arrangement-affair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that Noem and Lewandowski are having an affair, saying that they had apartments across the street from each other and that it observed Lewandowski emerging from her apartment. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) asked Noem during a hearing Wednesday if she had sexual relations with Lewandowski. She did not directly answer the question.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepKamlagerDove?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepKamlagerDove</a>: &#8220;Secretary Noem, at any time during your tenure…have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?&#8221;
Noem: &#8220;That is garbage and it is offensive that you have brought that up.&#8221;
Kamlager-Dove: &#8220;It is about your judgment and decision-making.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/H7pQywH3g7">pic.twitter.com/H7pQywH3g7</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2029292010633331156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Lewandowski has volunteered as a Special Government Employee, a classification that allows people to work in government for 130 days a year without adhering to the financial conflict-of-interest rules that apply to traditional government employees. The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a> said Lewandowski wanted to serve as Noem&#8217;s chief of staff, but that Trump &#8220;rejected the idea due to reports of a romantic relationship between the two.&#8221; DHS&#8217;s leadership webpage currently <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/leadership">lists</a> no chief of staff.
President Trump is considering replacing Noem for dishonesty in telling Congress that he personally greenlit spending hundreds of millions on ads starring herself, National Review <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/exclusive-trump-privately-furious-with-noem-over-senate-testimony-considering-mullin-as-replacement/">reported</a> Thursday. The procurement document, in conjunction with her answers in her testimony, could make that problem worse for Noem.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) <a href="https://x.com/ryanobles/status/2029582283145986526?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">told reporters Thursday</a> that he spoke to Trump about Noem&#8217;s testimony, and that &#8220;his recollection and her recollection are different.&#8221;
Noem told Congress that no political appointees were involved in the ad campaign procurement process. Four people signed the document limiting competition, but their names are redacted.
Yet Noem has also said she personally approves all large expenditures, and told the Senate, “I have a policy in place that I review contracts &#8230; My deputy chiefs have the ability to review anything under five million; above that, I evaluate.”
McLaughlin&#8217;s replacement as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Lauren Bis, reiterated that the government is not in control of who a contractor subcontracts with, and said the ads were money well-spent. &#8220;This hyper-targeted ad campaign ran in eight countries and reached over 46 million people. The results show the world heard our message that America’s borders are CLOSED,” she wrote.
The action to direct hundreds of millions of dollars was taken just days after the Trump administration took office, in February 2025. &#8220;Government would be seriously injured unless the executive agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals,&#8221; the justification said. &#8220;The immediate action supported by this authority is in response to a national emergency declaration.&#8221;
On Tuesday, Sen. John Kennedy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/noem-pressed-as-republican-senators-demand-answers-in-heated-senate-hearing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grilled</a> Noem about the contracts, saying the ads warning illegal immigrants to leave the country — some of which ran on Fox News, and which starred Noem personally — were a costly exercise in personal brand-building.
&#8220;They were effective in your name recognition … to me it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot,&#8221; he said. “The head of that [firm] is married to your former spokesperson&#8230; A fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we’re scratching for every penny.”
The majority of money in ad buys passes through to TV stations that run the ads. Subcontracts are not reported in public records, but Strategy Group — which previously worked for Noem&#8217;s gubernatorial campaign in South Dakota — said this week that &#8220;Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements, and 6 produced radio advertisements.” Its CEO, Ben Yoho, declined to comment.
This piece was updated with comment from Erika Knight.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and senior adviser Corey Lewandowski

Docs Show DHS Specifically Steered $200M Ad Contracts, Raising Questions About Noem’s Testimony

Illegal Immigation

John Kennedy

Democratic California Rep. Eric Swalwell tried to upend Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s testimony with a deportation sob story, but left out the detail that the illegal immigrant had a criminal history.
Swalwell shared the story of Miguel Lopez, 47, who was deported to his home country of Mexico in June, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday. Lopez received a deportation order in 2008, which a judge later blocked, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/deported-to-mexico-miguel-lopez-livermore-bay-area-family-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CBS News.
In 2016, the Department of Homeland Security again tried to pursue a deportation order that Lopez has fought ever since, the outlet reported.
&#8220;He does not have a job, he has not been able to provide, and he said his Spanish isn&#8217;t even that great because he hasn&#8217;t been there for 30 years, and it&#8217;s hard for him to communicate. Do you see the pain of families like Miguel Lopez, someone who did not commit a violent crime, but has been separated from his family and is not providing, is not working, do you see that pain?&#8221; Swalwell asked Noem.
Noem then asked if Lopez had a &#8220;criminal record.&#8221;
Swalwell paused before responding: &#8220;In 1995, he pled to a lesser nonviolent charge. But do you see the pain &#8230;&#8221;
Miguel was arrested in 1998 for DUI and was convicted of a lesser charge, according to CBS News.
Additionally, on his first attempt to cross the border illegally in 1996, Lopez lied to border agents by claiming to be an American citizen before he was ultimately removed to Mexico, CBS News reported. He then tried again and made it into the country on his second attempt.
Lopez, who is married to a U.S. citizen and has two children who are also U.S. citizens, was nabbed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during an immigration hearing in May, according to CBS News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepSwalwell</a> beclowns himself by telling a sob story of a deported illegal alien who he admits has a criminal record.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> informs him that he had the chance to remain with his family by self-deporting, and returning home with $2,600 per eligible family member. <a href="https://t.co/jtYH6X2Luw">pic.twitter.com/jtYH6X2Luw</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2029241779535409649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I do see the pain, and I wish people would do things correctly. If they&#8217;re not in legal status in this country, they can return home, we will pay for them to return home. I hope he got the $2,600 he could&#8217;ve gotten,&#8221; Noem said in response to Swalwell&#8217;s question.
&#8220;Do you think that makes up for not being with his family?&#8221; the California Democrat asked.
Noem said the self-deportation incentives help &#8220;because we have agreements with these countries, where they are helping to facilitate housing and training.&#8221;
&#8220;It was a nonviolent crime, secretary,&#8221; Swalwell said.
Noem went on to add: &#8220;But then he gets a chance to come back the right way. Now that he&#8217;s waited until he&#8217;s been detained and deported, he will never get the chance to come back to the United States. And so I wish that he would&#8217;ve made the right decision and decided to go home to help his family and him to be together. They have choices that they can make to be together, and we&#8217;re hopeful that they will continue to do that.&#8221;

Former US Special Counsel Jack Smith Testifies Before House Judiciary Committee

Swalwell Shares Illegal Immigrant Sob Story, Leaves Out Critical Detail

Swalwell’s Sob Story About Deported Illegal Immigrant Gets Reality Check Over One Key Detail

Deportations

The Trump administration is urging Democratic Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger against releasing an illegal immigrant suspect with 30 prior arrests who is now accused of fatally stabbing a local mother at a bus stop.
Just after assuming office, Spanberger signed an executive order last month that ended required cooperation between state and local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Weeks later, Abdul Jalloh, 32, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, allegedly murdered 41-year-old Virginia mother Stephanie Minter. Minter&#8217;s lifeless body was found at a bus stop on Feb. 23.
The Fairfax Police Department began a search for the suspect, later identifying him as Jalloh. He was arrested the day after the killing after a local business employee recognized him and called the police. ICE lodged a detainer with local police on Feb. 25, requesting that they hand Jalloh over if he&#8217;s to be released to ensure he&#8217;s not back on the streets, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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Detectives are seeking Abdul Jalloh, 32. He was the last person seen with our victim in Hybla Valley. He may be dangerous so please do not make any attempt to interact with him. Anyone with info on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or <a href="https://twitter.com/FFXCrimeSolvers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FFXCrimeSolvers</a> @ 1-866-411-TIPS <a href="https://t.co/4ouD5nBKdK">https://t.co/4ouD5nBKdK</a> <a href="https://t.co/MroiKbIIaU">pic.twitter.com/MroiKbIIaU</a>
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/FairfaxCountyPD/status/2026279250324840862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
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DHS called on &#8220;Spanberger and Virginia&#8217;s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this murderer and violent career criminal from their jail without notifying ICE,” the agency&#8217;s deputy assistant secretary Lauren Bis said in a recent statement.
Just a day after the fatal stabbing, Spanberger delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump&#8217;s State of the Union speech, where she labeled ICE as &#8220;unaccountable agents&#8221; who &#8220;terrorize our communities.&#8221;
“This illegal alien’s murder of an innocent, beautiful American woman came less than 24 hours before Governor Spanberger’s demonization of ICE law enforcement. This heinous criminal is a perfect example of why we need cooperation from sanctuary jurisdictions and the importance of third country removals for the safety of the American people,&#8221; Bis said.
Jalloh has more than 30 previous arrests for charges of rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing, according to DHS.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
If an illegal alien lives in a sanctuary jurisdiction they will be allowed by Democrat leaders to commit infinity crimes. <a href="https://t.co/UsTJGH0B5Q">https://t.co/UsTJGH0B5Q</a>
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2028505744794915307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called out &#8220;Democrat leaders&#8221; in &#8220;sanctuary&#8221; states who allow illegal immigrants like him &#8220;to commit infinity crimes.&#8221;

Untitled design – 2026-03-02T111227.981

A Mother Killed At Bus Stop — Now Dem Governor Could Let Illegal Alien Suspect Walk

abigail spanberger

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S.

Virginia

The Department of Homeland Security is marking its 23rd anniversary Sunday, celebrating more than two decades since its creation in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, even as the agency finds itself in the crosshairs of Democrats amid a partial government shutdown.
Formed in November 2002 and formally commencing operations on March 1, 2003, DHS was established to unify the nation’s domestic security apparatus under one umbrella. Today, it oversees border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, disaster response, counterterrorism operations, and maritime interdiction.
“As the threat landscape continues to evolve, DHS is there. By air, land, sea, or in cyberspace, the DHS workforce boldly confronts the threats our nation faces every day,” Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement marking the anniversary. “We are working diligently to prevent cybersecurity and terror threats, safeguard the southern border, reform our broken immigration system, and help Americans in the face of natural disasters. Our mission could not be achieved without your extraordinary courage and commitment. I am especially grateful to those of you who are serving during the current shutdown without a paycheck.”
With conflict recently erupting in Iran, Noem also emphasized vigilance at home, writing on X that she is “in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.”
The anniversary comes at a politically charged moment. DHS has announced it must take steps to preserve limited funds and personnel during the shutdown, even as it continues core national security functions.
Under President Donald Trump and Secretary Noem, department officials point to a slate of enforcement and security actions over the past year as evidence that DHS is fulfilling its founding mission.
According to a statement from the department obtained by The Daily Wire, Border Patrol has recorded nine consecutive months of zero migrant releases at the southern border, ending what officials describe as the Biden administration’s “catch and release” policy. DHS also reports that total border apprehensions during Trump’s first year back in office were lower than a single average month under the previous administration.
Over the last 13 months, nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the United States amid the administration’s immigration crackdown, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 713,000 deportations, according to DHS. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the department says, arrested 1,538 known or suspected terrorists and removed 1,534, along with thousands of gang members tied to groups such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
That aggressive enforcement posture has fueled Democratic opposition and contributed to the funding standoff now affecting the department.
On the cybersecurity front, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reports blocking billions of malicious connections on federal civilian networks and hundreds of millions more targeting critical infrastructure. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized more than 617,000 pounds of illicit drugs nationwide over the past year, including more than 10,000 pounds of fentanyl. The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted over 547,000 pounds of illegal narcotics — nearly three times its normal annual average — which officials say prevented hundreds of millions of lethal doses from reaching American communities.
DHS also highlights joint efforts with the Department of Health and Human Services to locate 145,000 unaccompanied minors it says were lost under prior border policies, as well as reforms to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aimed at accelerating state-led disaster response. President Trump has approved 12 federal emergency disaster declarations in recent months, unlocking additional resources for affected states.
More than two decades after its creation in response to the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, DHS is marking its anniversary while confronting both evolving global threats and immediate fiscal constraints. Department leadership maintains that the mission remains unchanged: protect the homeland and keep Americans safe, regardless of political or budgetary headwinds.

Department Of Homeland Security

DHS Celebrates 23rd Anniversary Amid Budget Battle And New Middle East Conflict

9/11

Democrats

General

Trump Administration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal alien from Mexico on Thursday convicted of first-degree murder in California, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire.
The man, Luis Padilla-Tapia, was also convicted of threatening crime with intent to terrorize and corporal injury to spouse/cohabitant in Bakersfield. Padilla-Tapia was one of the “worst of the worst” illegal aliens picked up on Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security highlighted in a release to The Daily Wire.
“Yesterday, ICE arrested criminal illegal alien murderers, pedophiles and drug traffickers,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “These are the types of thugs our officers are arresting and removing from American neighborhoods. While sanctuary politicians demonize ICE law enforcement, our officers continue to risk their lives to arrest public safety threats. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are putting the safety of American citizens FIRST.”
According to DHS, others arrested included:
<blockquote>-Benjamin Perez-Pena, an illegal alien from Mexico and registered sex offender convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child in Santa Ana, California.
-David Cac-Choc, an illegal alien from Guatemala convicted of indecent assault on a person less than 13 years old and endangering the welfare of children in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
-Jhoshua Herbert Quichiz-Sagarvinaga, an illegal alien from Peru convicted of proposed sex act by communication systems with a victim under 15 years old and possession of child pornography in Leesburg, Virginia.
-Francisco Hernandez-Alonso, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of attempted trafficking in opium or heroin in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_1051065" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1051065" class="size-full wp-image-1051065" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/MixCollage-27-Feb-2026-02-36-PM-9209-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />Perez-Pena/Quichiz-Sagarvinaga: DHS.</div>
Anti-ICE protests have continued to rage across the country with leftist organizers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mexican-restaurants-and-hotel-protests-heres-how-anti-ice-protesters-are-spending-their-week?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Eat+First.+Then+Smash+The+State.%E2%80%99+Inside+The+Anti-ICE+Weeklong+Plan">currently staging</a> a “week of action” in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. These protesters have called for amnesty for all illegal aliens and for the abolition of ICE and prisons.
Documents <a href="https://defendinged.org/investigations/a-minnesota-melt-the-ice-week-of-action-includes-a-scheduled-student-walkout-and-sit-in-school-patrols-and-a-training-session-on-sanctuary-schools-facilitated-by-rank-and-file-members/">reviewed</a> by The Daily Wire show the detailed coordination and planning that goes into a week of anti-law enforcement protests collectively called “Bring the Heat! Melt the ICE!” From February 25 to March 1, anti-ICE organizers are demonstrating at the state Capitol, at hotels where federal agents are staying, and hosting training sessions at local churches.

Ice Police Law Enforcement – Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Agents

Another Example Of Why ICE Remains On The Streets As Critics Demand It Be Dismantled

California

Mexico

Tuesday night’s State of the Union comes as the Department of Homeland Security faces a funding lapse tied to disputes over federal immigration enforcement tactics. The standoff is already spilling into the chamber, with some Democrats choosing to skip President Trump’s address and others bringing guests connected to the immigration debate.
One example includes Rep. Seth Moulton’s (D-MA) guest, Marcelo Gomes da Silva. Moulton’s office said in a press release that Gomes da Silva was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for having an expired student visa he did not know about. Moulton said that “his story captures what’s broken in our immigration system right now,” whereas DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has said, “Marcelo Gomes da Silva is still an illegal alien and subject to removal proceedings.”
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) invited Caroline Dias Gonçalves as a guest, saying she was briefly arrested by ICE last year, even though she’s considered part of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). However, DHS stated that Gonçalves&#8217; “visa expired over a decade ago. President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the U.S.”
“Today, some Democrats in Congress are planning to bring illegal aliens as guests to the State of the Union. Once again, they are putting illegal aliens above the safety of American citizens,” Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a Tuesday statement to The Daily Wire.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-1391">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation&#8217;s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
“Yesterday alone, our officers arrested pedophiles, rapists, and violent criminals from our communities. President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and you will NEVER return,” Bis added.
DHS also highlighted illegal immigrant arrests made on Monday, including Cuban national Jorge Luis Gómez-Gallardo, who had a prior conviction for “carnal knowledge of a child 13-14 years old without force” in Virginia.
Guyanese national Parsam Chettana was arrested in Schenectady, New York, and has been convicted of rape. Mexican national Agustine Hernandez-Almaraz was convicted of “criminal sexual assault”; Omar Gómez-Hinojosa of Mexico also had an assault conviction; and El Salvadoran national Isidro Arcenio Alvarado has a “naturalization fraud” conviction in North Carolina.
On Monday at the White House, Trump proclaimed it National Angel Family Day to “remember and honor the thousands of American lives stolen from us by criminal illegal aliens and the deadly drugs they bring across our borders.”
One of the Democrats voicing their opposition ahead of Tuesday’s remarks from the president is Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), who is facing federal felony charges for allegedly interfering with authorities during a clash outside an ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, last May. McIver’s “prebuttal” underscored her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
“America can handle dissent. We should welcome it. The conversation makes us stronger. But Donald Trump doesn’t care about America; he cares only about himself, his money, his power. It is time to decide: Is democracy worth defending? Is it worth the risk? Is it worth a very real sacrifice?” she said.

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