Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem touted new arrests of criminal aliens following a recent ICE operation in northern Virginia.
Sporting a tactical vest, Noem highlighted the arrests of gang members and sex offenders in a video shared on her X account.
We will not be deterred by leaks. If you come to this country and break our laws, we will hunt you down.
Successful enforcement operation this morning—getting MS-13 members, 18th Street gang members and perpetrators of sexual crimes off our streets. pic.twitter.com/67iqcFJw6x
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 4, 2025
Noem also warned of "consequences" in an interview with ABC News, which tagged along for the operation in Virginia.
ABC reported that the raids led to the arrest of at least two men, an 18th Street gang member and another man who was convicted of sexual battery, although the exact scale of the roundup is uncertain.
"By policy and due to officer safety, we don’t comment on ongoing operations,” an ICE spokesman told the Washington Post. “The number of arrests is ongoing."
President Trump has asked Congress to provide more funding to help ramp up his deportation efforts, which have so far fallen short of expectations.
Border crossings have plummeted since President Trump returned to the White House, but interior enforcement has lagged, reportedly leaving Trump frustrated.
ICE's efforts have been plagued by internal leaks, which have provided advance warning to illegal aliens in cities like Los Angeles and Aurora, a suburb of Denver.
Noem last week said that she fired some individuals within DHS responsible for leaking information, but the problem has persisted, with pro-immigration groups publicizing the raids in Virginia beforehand.
"Starting Monday 3/March, ICE activity expected in Northern VA (Arlington, Alexandria, Annandale, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun) & surrounding areas that could result in several arrests. Please be aware of your surroundings, tell your friends/family too," Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid wrote on X.
While deportations remain a challenge, illegal border crossings hit their lowest point in decades during Trump's first full month back in office.
Crossings fell to 8,300 in February as Trump toughened immigration policy and the government's messaging to foreigners.
Trump touted the decrease during his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, with Trump blasting his predecessor, Joe Biden, for letting a historic influx of people into the nation's interior.
"The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new legislation, we must have legislation to secure the border. But it turned out that all we really needed was a new president," Trump said.
