SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited San Diego Thursday to highlight the Trump administration's border security efforts and drug seizures, taking a more measured tone than her recent appearances in other cities.
Speaking at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility, Noem showcased confiscated drugs while emphasizing what she called successful enforcement along the border, including declining illegal crossings and significant drug seizures.
"Just in this bin in front of you, you see enough lethal doses of fentanyl that would kill 10 million Americans," Noem said, surrounded by pounds of confiscated fentanyl.
The secretary said she toured a drug vault containing seized narcotics and detailed the inventory's scope.
"That inventory includes over 100,000 pounds of meth, 59,000 pounds of cocaine, and 7,400 pounds of fentanyl," Noem said.
Noem was joined by the Chief of the Border Patrol and Executive Commissioner for Customs and Border Protection during the 30-minute press conference at the Otay Mesa facility.
When asked about Governor Gavin Newsom's recent visit to San Diego, where he also highlighted fentanyl seizures, Noem called on the governor to honor what she described as over 30,000 detainers ICE has placed on undocumented immigrants in California's prisons and jails.
"Before they are released back out onto our streets. Give them to us so that if they're criminal illegal aliens, we can return them back to their home countries," Noem said.
Regarding whether San Diego might see targeted immigration enforcement operations similar to those conducted in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, or Chicago, Noem declined to provide specifics.
"I don't want to put our law enforcement officers at risk by exposing some of the planned operations that they may or may not have," Noem said.
The secretary maintained that ICE operations focus on individuals who pose threats to public safety, despite statistics showing a majority of detained individuals have no criminal convictions. The press conference ended as Noem was being questioned about those statistics.
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