On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a significant announcement regarding the new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically its immigration enforcement arm. This comes as part of her commitment to enhance the agency's operations and address ongoing concerns about information leaks. Noem emphasized her intention to implement more rigorous lie detector tests on employees to ensure the integrity of operations and protect sensitive information from being disclosed to the media.
During her appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Noem stated, “The authorities that I have under the Department of Homeland Security are broad and extensive, and I plan to use every single one of them to make sure that we’re following the law and the procedures in place to keep people safe.” She reiterated the administration's commitment to uphold the promises made by President Trump regarding immigration enforcement and public safety.
Noem’s announcement regarding the use of polygraph exams is noteworthy, as these tests, while not typically admissible in court, are a common practice among federal law enforcement agencies. They are often utilized for national security clearances and are considered a tool to maintain the security and confidentiality of ongoing operations.
In alignment with her announcement, Noem introduced two new leadership appointments within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Todd Lyons, previously the assistant director of field operations for ICE’s enforcement arm, will now serve as the acting ICE director. Additionally, Madison Sheahan, who previously held the position of secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and was a former aide to Noem during her governorship in South Dakota, has been appointed as the agency’s deputy director.
This leadership change comes less than two months into the Trump administration and highlights the administration's focus on expediting its deportation agenda. The urgency has been underscored by frustrations within the White House regarding the slow pace of deportations, attributed in part to leaks disclosing planned operations to the public.
In a related development, Noem announced on Friday that the agency has identified two individuals who will be prosecuted for leaking information related to enforcement operations. On Sunday, she provided further details, stating that these individuals had disclosed plans for operations in multiple cities, thereby exposing vulnerabilities within the enforcement strategy. The potential consequences for these leaks could include up to ten years in federal prison.
A spokesperson for the DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comments regarding these announcements.
