DHS Secretary Kristi Noem takes part in a dawn raid of illegal aliens in this U.S. city
America under Trump will be a country of law and order. There’s no doubt about that.
And now DHS Secretary Kristi Noem took part in a dawn raid of illegal aliens in this U.S. city.
Newly appointed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wasted no time taking action, joining federal authorities early Tuesday for her first deportation raids on illegal immigrants in New York City. The operation kicked off with the arrest of a “criminal alien with kidnapping, assault, and burglary charges.”
Noem, 53, shared images of herself outfitted in a protective ICE vest as she accompanied agents from multiple federal agencies, starting with targets in the Bronx.
“Live this AM from NYC. I’m on it,” Noem wrote confidently before joining pre-raid briefings. She added, “We are doing this right – doing exactly what President @realDonaldTrump promised the American people – making our streets safe.”
In dramatic footage shared by Noem, heavily armed DEA agents and Homeland Security investigators executed the operation, which led to the arrest of a suspect in the Bronx. The individual, labeled a “criminal alien” with violent felony charges, was escorted from an apartment building in handcuffs.
“Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets,” Noem declared defiantly in a post accompanying the video.
The pre-dawn raid on Tuesday rattled residents of an Ogden Avenue apartment building. Neighbors reported hearing a loud boom as agents breached a door, pulling the suspect out in shackles.
“When they brought him out, he had shackles on his wrists to his feet,” said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous. “His face had a real angry expression. I’ve lived here for years and never seen him before.”
Some residents claimed to have seen a woman and children in the raided apartment but were unfamiliar with the arrested man. “Everybody in the building is asking, ‘Who else are they coming for?’” said another concerned neighbor. “A lot of people don’t have their papers here, and there’s a lot of fear.”
Another resident described the raid as “a big operation,” involving Homeland Security officers who smashed the metal door with a crowbar. Despite the fear in the community, the neighbor remained neutral.
“They’re going to get due process. It doesn’t matter what crimes or that they’re here illegally. Whatever they allegedly did, it’s okay if they’re being handled lawfully.”
This crackdown is part of a larger federal effort under President Trump’s administration to target sanctuary cities and deport criminal migrants. Cities like Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans have already faced similar operations, with federal agents rounding up hundreds of lawbreakers daily.
Tom Homan, Trump’s appointed border czar, made it clear on ABC News that “anyone in the country illegally is on the table” for deportation.
“You’re going to see the numbers steadily increase,” Homan promised, explaining that the initial focus is on “public safety threats” and “national security threats” but warned that arrests would expand beyond those categories.
Under Trump’s directives, restrictions have been loosened on where immigration officers can conduct raids, including previously off-limits areas like churches, courthouses, and other so-called “sensitive” locations.
Mayor Eric Adams stated last week that city officials would “coordinate” with ICE on handling migrant criminals, though the city’s sanctuary policies bar the NYPD from aiding in federal deportation operations.
An internal NYPD memo reminded officers of this distinction while outlining the scope of their cooperation in criminal investigations.
Meanwhile, ICE reported that leading up to Tuesday’s operation, it had made 1,179 arrests and lodged 853 detainers on Monday, following 956 arrests and 554 detainers the previous day.
As Noem steps into her new role, her actions signal a no-nonsense approach to law enforcement and a renewed push to hold sanctuary cities accountable. For residents living in these areas, the message is clear: no one is off-limits.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
