We’d never deport veterans, Noem says in earshot of deported veteran

In a contentious hearing that featured Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem telling Democratic committee members they should “all be fired,” House representatives repeatedly attempted to call attention to federal agents detaining non-criminal immigrants and US citizens. The secretary held the party line: she, and the Trump administration, were simply keeping Americans safe from threats.

The hearing to discuss “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland” came as President Donald Trump and Noem’s immigration enforcement continues to expand into cities across the US, often resulting in violent detainments and fostering an environment of fear for immigrants—documented or not—and, by design, people of color in general.

During the House Committee on Homeland Security’s hearing, Secretary Noem was repeatedly confronted with instances of her agency going after people who were neither violent nor criminal.

“How many United States military veterans have you deported?” Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) asked Noem.

“Sir,” she responded, “we have not deported US citizens or military veterans.”

A staffer then held up a tablet behind Magaziner’s desk. 

“Madam Secretary, we are joined on Zoom by a gentleman named Sae Joon Park. He is a United States Army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989.” Park was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection agents at an airport in Honolulu and placed on a one-way flight to South Korea in June. Park, a green-card holder and a Purple Heart recipient, self-deported after he was placed on a deportation list.

The Trump administration isn’t the first to deport veterans. Officials across the administration, though, have repeatedly and falsely denied detaining or deporting US citizens or those in the country with other legal protections. 

Magaziner details that Park “struggled with PTSD and substance abuse after his service,” adding that he was “arrested in the 1990s for some minor drug offenses, nothing serious, he never hurt anyone besides himself and he’s been clean and sober for 14 years.”

“Will you join me,” Magaziner continued, “in thanking Mr. Park for his service to our country?”

Noem said: “Sir, I’m grateful for every single person that has served our country and followed our laws.” 

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), one of the representatives who called on Noem to resign—along with Michigan Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar, a Democrat from Michigan, who told Noem he was “sick” of her “lies”—sparred with Noem on several points during the hearing.

“At your direction,” Thompson said, “DHS has illegally detained and deported US citizens, including US citizen children with cancer.” His staffer held up a photo of a 10-year-old girl who was recovering from brain cancer when she was removed with her undocumented parents in February. 

Right before Rep. Julie Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, had her time to speak, Secretary Noem left the hearing early for what she said was a meeting on FEMA. That meeting had been cancelled, which Noem’s office says she learned after the secretary had left the security hearing.

“This notion that we’re only going to pursue serious threats, it’s just not true,” Johnson said shortly after Noem left the room. “I visited an ICE facility outside of Dallas and over 70 percent of them were classified as the lowest threat level—as never having a criminal record at all.” 

During her remarks, a staffer held up a poster board featuring American citizens who were arrested by ICE.

“The rule of law is founded on two fundamental principles,” Johnson said. “That if you are going to be subject to a criminal arrest in this country, that there is probable cause to do so. You can’t just snatch somebody walking into a coffee shop because of the color of their skin. There’s no probable cause for that. And also, that you will get due process, and that is not happening.”