Noem's response to illegal migrant during arrest

By BRITTANY CHAIN, US SENIOR REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

An illegal immigrant was trying to sweet talk Kristi Noem while being detained in Portland but in return she delivered a blunt message that he would never be allowed in the country again. The Secretary of Homeland Security got confused when the migrant said something that sounded vaguely like 'Let me out' in English - a language he did not speak. 'La e mirao en la tele,' he said, which translates roughly to 'I've seen you on TV.'

An illegal immigrant was trying to sweet talk Kristi Noem while being detained in Portland but in return she delivered a blunt message that he would never be allowed in the country again. The Secretary of Homeland Security got confused when the migrant said something that sounded vaguely like 'Let me out' in English - a language he did not speak. 'La e mirao en la tele,' he said, which translates roughly to 'I've seen you on TV.'

He then repeated 'La e mirao' - meaning 'I've seen you' or 'I watched you.' But a bewildered Noem misinterpreted him as asking to be 'let out' of custody. 'Let you out? No. Not let you out,' she told him, as the smile faded from the man's face. 'You're under arrest.' Her message was translated to Spanish as Noem continued to rant against the man and his brother, who were both placed under arrest for being in the United States illegally.

He then repeated 'La e mirao' - meaning 'I've seen you' or 'I watched you.' But a bewildered Noem misinterpreted him as asking to be 'let out' of custody. 'Let you out? No. Not let you out,' she told him, as the smile faded from the man's face. 'You're under arrest.' Her message was translated to Spanish as Noem continued to rant against the man and his brother, who were both placed under arrest for being in the United States illegally.

A video of the interaction was shared on X by conservative commentator Nick Sorto r, who was inundated Spanish-speaking users who explained that Noem had been mistaken, and that the man was actually trying to 'sweet talk' her. 'He was actually saying ''I've seen her on tv,'' not ''Let me stay'',' one critic said. 'He was star struck. That's why he was smiling at first.' The man refused to make any further comment, prompting Noem to move on to speak with his brother, who had also been arrested.

A video of the interaction was shared on X by conservative commentator Nick Sorto r, who was inundated Spanish-speaking users who explained that Noem had been mistaken, and that the man was actually trying to 'sweet talk' her. 'He was actually saying ''I've seen her on tv,'' not ''Let me stay'',' one critic said. 'He was star struck. That's why he was smiling at first.' The man refused to make any further comment, prompting Noem to move on to speak with his brother, who had also been arrested.

'That is a criminal charge in this country, to be here illegally,' Noem said. 'You waited until we detained you, so now you will be removed from this country, and you will never have the chance to come back. Do you have family here besides your brother?' She later revealed she had been taking part in an operation targeting the immigrant's brother, who was also in the country illegally but 'had criminal convictions' relating to ID theft. 'He is detained because he is in this country illegally as well,' she said.

'That is a criminal charge in this country, to be here illegally,' Noem said. 'You waited until we detained you, so now you will be removed from this country, and you will never have the chance to come back. Do you have family here besides your brother?' She later revealed she had been taking part in an operation targeting the immigrant's brother, who was also in the country illegally but 'had criminal convictions' relating to ID theft. 'He is detained because he is in this country illegally as well,' she said.

Noem had a message directly for illegal migrants who are still in America and have so far avoided detection, warning them: 'If you care about your family, go home. Go home now. 'If you deport now, if you're in this country illegally and leave on your own, you may get the chance to come back to the United States again someday. 'But if you wait until we detain you, you will never, ever get the chance to come to America again.' Sortor incredulously asked if the man truly believed asking to be let go would 'work' on ICE agents.

Noem had a message directly for illegal migrants who are still in America and have so far avoided detection, warning them: 'If you care about your family, go home. Go home now. 'If you deport now, if you're in this country illegally and leave on your own, you may get the chance to come back to the United States again someday. 'But if you wait until we detain you, you will never, ever get the chance to come to America again.' Sortor incredulously asked if the man truly believed asking to be let go would 'work' on ICE agents.

Noem has been mocked in the comments of the video, shared to X, as Spanish speakers noted she had misunderstood what the man was trying to say. 'I wish he said that. But he didn't. He said. ''La e mirado en la tele'' means I have seen her on tv,' a second added. It comes amid revelations ICE plans to use a hub in Vermont to bolster its digital surveillance capabilities as the agency ramps up operations across the country to reflect Trump's anti-immigration agenda. Under the latest plans, a contractor would use sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X — and could, in addition, use powerful online commercial, law enforcement and federal government databases — to generate leads about 'individuals who pose a danger to national security, risk public safety or otherwise meet ICE enforcement priorities.'

Noem has been mocked in the comments of the video, shared to X, as Spanish speakers noted she had misunderstood what the man was trying to say. 'I wish he said that. But he didn't. He said. ''La e mirado en la tele'' means I have seen her on tv,' a second added. It comes amid revelations ICE plans to use a hub in Vermont to bolster its digital surveillance capabilities as the agency ramps up operations across the country to reflect Trump's anti-immigration agenda. Under the latest plans, a contractor would use sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X — and could, in addition, use powerful online commercial, law enforcement and federal government databases — to generate leads about 'individuals who pose a danger to national security, risk public safety or otherwise meet ICE enforcement priorities.'

Details collected could include people's social media posts and the locations tagged in them, according to the plans. The contractor could also be asked to find information about targeted people's 'associates,' including family members and coworkers, for the purpose of determining someone's whereabouts, the plans from last week state. The agency is spending millions of dollars on an advertising blitz to increase staffing numbers as Trump seeks to expand arresting capabilities.

Details collected could include people's social media posts and the locations tagged in them, according to the plans. The contractor could also be asked to find information about targeted people's 'associates,' including family members and coworkers, for the purpose of determining someone's whereabouts, the plans from last week state. The agency is spending millions of dollars on an advertising blitz to increase staffing numbers as Trump seeks to expand arresting capabilities.

'You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe,' the narrator says in the advertisement as images of the cities targeted and ICE agents arresting people move across the screen. 'But in sanctuary cities, you're ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free.' The campaign — airing in more than a dozen cities, including Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta — is part of ICE's $30 billion initiative to hire 10,000 more deportation officers by the end of the year to supercharge deportations.

'You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe,' the narrator says in the advertisement as images of the cities targeted and ICE agents arresting people move across the screen. 'But in sanctuary cities, you're ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free.' The campaign — airing in more than a dozen cities, including Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta — is part of ICE's $30 billion initiative to hire 10,000 more deportation officers by the end of the year to supercharge deportations.

The money is part of the $76.5 billion sought by the Trump administration for ICE — a 10-fold increase in its current budget — as part of the sweeping, multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts bill enacted in July. ICE is already offering bonuses of up to $50,000 for new recruits and other benefits such as tuition reimbursement as it seeks to fast-track hiring.

The money is part of the $76.5 billion sought by the Trump administration for ICE — a 10-fold increase in its current budget — as part of the sweeping, multitrillion-dollar tax breaks and spending cuts bill enacted in July. ICE is already offering bonuses of up to $50,000 for new recruits and other benefits such as tuition reimbursement as it seeks to fast-track hiring.

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