WASHINGTON D.C Oct 20, 2025 – In a forceful press conference held in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem highlighted the Trump administration’s aggressive border security efforts, revealing that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has arrested more than 480,000 criminal illegal immigrants since President Donald Trump took office nine months ago. Speaking at a podium flanked by American and DHS flags, Noem emphasized that 70% of those detained have either been convicted of crimes or face pending charges, underscoring a renewed commitment to public safety.
“Today marks nine months since President Trump has been in office, and since he began his work to restore American safety for our families that live here,” Noem said in the video address posted to her official X account on Monday evening. “What he has accomplished for the American people is nothing short of extraordinary. We appreciate what he has done to make us safe again, to secure our borders, and to make sure that he’s protecting our people.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing operations by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which Noem credited with removing dangerous individuals from U.S. communities. Visual aids at the press conference included mugshots of recently arrested suspects, such as a Mexican national accused of human smuggling involving a minor, and a Cuban national wanted for homicide. On the table before her were displays of seized contraband: bricks of fentanyl and other narcotics, high-capacity firearms, ammunition, and cash bundles—tangible evidence of the threats DHS agents are combating daily.
“Across the country, we’re making communities safer so that families can thrive and they can prosper and they can enjoy the kind of freedom that this country was established to provide,” Noem continued. She accused mainstream media outlets of “distorting the truth” by failing to report the full scope of these enforcement actions, vowing to set the record straight through direct updates like this one.
Noem’s remarks align with broader Trump administration priorities, including the expansion of the 287(g) program, which deputizes local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement. Recent data from ICE indicates that in the first 100 days of the term alone, agents conducted over 66,000 arrests and more than 65,000 removals, with a heavy focus on convicted criminals, including gang members and violent offenders.
The Phoenix event specifically spotlighted local successes in Arizona, a key border state where smuggling networks have long posed challenges. HSI officers showcased operations that dismantled routes used for trafficking drugs and humans, with the displayed evidence recovered from busts in the region.
Critics of the administration’s policies have raised concerns about due process and humanitarian impacts, but Noem dismissed such narratives, stating, “Our HSI officers, our ICE officers—the criminals they’ve taken off the streets here in this city and also in this state… We can do to get many of these items like you see on the table in front of me out of our communities.”
The post on X, viewed nearly 90,000 times as of Tuesday morning, drew widespread support from conservative commentators and Trump allies, with reposts amplifying calls to “Make America Safe Again.” Replies ranged from praise for Noem’s leadership to memes celebrating the arrests, though some users expressed skepticism about media coverage.
As the administration approaches the one-year mark, Noem pledged continued momentum: “We will continue to fulfill President Trump’s promise to Make America Safe Again, secure our borders, and protect our people.”
DHS officials did not immediately respond to requests for additional statistics on deportations or specific case details from the Phoenix operations. The department has scheduled further briefings to detail enforcement trends.
