President Trump fired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem yesterday – a clear attempt to scapegoat her without actually calling for any reform.
But we know the truth. Just this week, Noem falsely claimed to Congress that ice and Border Patrol agents are following the law, even though we’ve all directly seen how DHS has endangered and harmed our neighbors. And the agency is still asking for more money with no strings attached to keep carrying out abusive operations in our streets.
Let’s be clear: The problem didn’t start with Kristi Noem. DHS itself needs fundamental reform to end its abuse and keep our communities safe – and that starts with Congress refusing to sign over a blank check to these lawless operations.
A new face in charge does not fix the trauma and harm that ice and Border Patrol agents have inflicted against our communities, nor does it cure the culture of impunity at DHS.
Here’s the reality: DHS is continuing to put masked, armed agents in our communities to arrest parents at school pick-up, and detain U.S. citizens based on the color of their skin. The agency is proceeding to buy warehouses to detain longtime residents – even though 10 people have already died in ice custody in 2026 alone. It has detained children, trafficking victims, and DACA recipients in dangerous facilities. Agents have threatened and shot people in the streets. ice prosecutors are lying to judges, and DHS is ignoring court orders. And they’ve misled oversight committees, intimidated and obstructed oversight agencies, and dodged any accountability – proving that the agency has no interest in reforming itself.
We know DHS isn’t following the law because we’ve witnessed it in our own communities.
That’s why we’re calling on Congress to act. Taxpayer money shouldn’t be fuelling an agency that’s ripping families apart, arresting citizens without cause, and holding people in inhumane conditions.
Tell Congress to rein in ice and Border Patrol’s abuses now.
With thanks for all you do,
The ACLU Team
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA