SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Protesters gathered outside the Otay Mesa Detention Center Wednesday and quickly made their way to where Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held her press conference in San Diego.
This also comes as local leaders called on Congress to halt DHS funding ahead of a Friday deadline.
Noem was holding a press conference highlighting the Trump administration's border security efforts and recent drug seizures.
"She's leading the pack in cruelty here," said Scott Sieburth, a protester.
Janice Lantz, another protester, expressed her opposition to Noem's presence in the region.
"I don't want her here; she has no business being here. She should be back in Washington resigning her position," Lantz said.
A separate press conference was held early morning by local leaders urging Congress to reconsider DHS funding before Friday's deadline. Lilian Serrano, director of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, called for stricter oversight requirements.
"We want Congress to do their part and not give a single penny to DHS until they can ensure that these changes will happen and that they can ensure our communities are safe," Serrano said.
Serrano outlined specific reforms she believes are necessary before any additional funding is approved.
"We need to end racial profiling, we need to stop the use of force by agents, we need to ensure that every investigation opened against an agent is actually truly independent," Serrano said.
Protesters also voiced concerns about what they described as warrantless searches and arrests, with some focusing on the treatment of children in detention.
"I'm here to say that children do not belong in prison and I want them to immediately be released and brought back to a safe home," Lantz said.
The demonstrations highlight growing tensions over border security policies as Congress faces the Friday funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security.
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