Gallego rips Noem for rifle handling, deportations
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) criticized Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she posed with a rifle in Phoenix amid the Trump administration’s deportation crackdown.
“Human traffickers. Drug Smugglers. 18th Street Gang members,” Noem wrote in a post on the social media platform X. “Spent the morning in Phoenix with our brave @ICEgov and Arizona law enforcement arresting these dirtbags and getting them off our streets.”
Noem also shared a video of her holding a rifle and tactical gear standing alongside two law enforcement officers. The video and post were from a visit to Arizona, Gallego’s homre state.
Gallego, who is a Marine Corps veteran and served in Iraq, criticized Noem over the way she handled the gun in the video as well as the administration’s continued deportations.
“1. Close your ejection port,” Gallego said, referring to the rifle’s cartridge ejection area.
“2. If you have no rounds in the chamber why do you have a magazine inserted?” Gallego’s post continued.
“3. If you have rounds in the chamber or in the magazine why are you flagging the guy next to you?” he asked, noting that Noem in the video is pointing the barrel of the rifle in the direction of one of the law enforcement officer’s head.
“4. Stop deporting people without due process,” Gallego’s post concluded.
It’s not the first time Noem has received criticism for her posts about deportations. After the Trump administration deported members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Noem visited the prison in El Salvador the members were held and recorded a video message.
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.