U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended a widely circulated photo of herself standing in front of a prison cell holding gang-affiliated inmates in El Salvador, saying the image was meant to send a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: “Leave now.”
Noem appeared on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier Monday night to discuss her recent tour of the CECOT (Terrorism Confinement Center), a high-security prison in El Salvador that holds thousands of inmates linked to MS-13 and Tren de Aragua — two transnational gangs designated as terrorist organizations by President Donald Trump.
READ: U.S. Deports Foreign Gang Terrorists Overnight In Joint Operation With El Salvador
“People need to see that image,” Noem told Baier. “They need to see that the United States is going to use every tool that we have to make our communities safer. That is a consequence of someone who is a terrorist.”
The photo, posted to Noem’s official account on March 26, shows her standing in front of a locked cell crowded with inmates, most of whom are shirtless and covered in gang tattoos. She captioned the image: “President Trump and I have a clear message to criminal illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW. If you do not leave, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and you could end up in this El Salvadorian prison.”
The prison, known as CECOT (Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo), was built by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to house members of violent criminal groups under his administration’s controversial crackdown on gang violence. Noem said her visit was not only symbolic, but also part of a broader effort to increase international cooperation on security and deportation enforcement.
READ: VIDEO: Gangsters Grounded: 200+ Deported Tren de Aragua Suspects Arrive At El Salvador’s Mega-Prison
“My task as Homeland Security Secretary is to secure the homeland of the United States of America,” she said. “So I have jurisdiction over every person that comes in and out of this country, every product that comes in and out of this country, and everything that transpires over the internet.”
Noem also traveled to Colombia and Mexico during her trip, meeting with the presidents of all three countries. She said the conversations were “productive,” especially regarding ongoing efforts to crack down on the smuggling of people, drugs, and weapons into the U.S.
In El Salvador, Noem confirmed that President Bukele had agreed to accept additional deportees labeled as high-risk terrorists. “He said, ‘Absolutely we will. We will take the worst of the worst and make sure that they’re facing consequences for what they’ve done to your country,’” she said.
The visit comes as the Trump administration continues to aggressively target foreign criminal organizations operating inside the U.S., with MS-13 and Tren de Aragua at the center of recent immigration and national security policies.
READ: ICE In Colorado Sends Homicide Suspect Back To El Salvador
“President Trump has declared these gangs terrorist organizations,” Noem said. “So now, when we deport them, they’re going to face consequences — not just catch and release.”
According to DHS, the Biden administration’s policies led to the re-entry of thousands of previously deported gang members. The Trump administration, by contrast, has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport gang-affiliated non-citizens without requiring an immigration hearing — a move that has drawn legal challenges but remains in effect for now.
As Noem put it: “These are individuals who have raped and murdered American citizens. Americans deserve to know that we are not just detaining them — we are getting them out and making sure they never come back.”
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