Noem’s Thank You For Your Service At Hearing Was Phony As A Three-Dollar Bill

Kristi Noem had no choice but to “Thank” Veteran’s for their service at her hearing when confronted face-to-face. (Or via Zoom) It was an appalling display of insincerity. LYING even. It made me think of far more trivial instances of someone being forced to say something and not meaning it. I’m sure at some point after standing in a long checkout line a cashier who’d been on their feet for eight hours said “Have a nice day” with about as much feeling as a brick. It’s something they HAD to say or lose their jobs. But with a half-hour to go and a long line to check out they just wanted to be done with you and move on.

That my friends is the vibe I got from Noem when the cameras were rolling (live) and after citing a specific Veteran and her deportation of them or their loved one’s asked her to directly thank them she was stuck. She wasn’t in some isolated gravel pit with an exuberant puppy she’d lost patience with. Saying what she REALLY felt which was ‘F**k you and your service’ would have been so bad even Trump wouldn’t have been able to back her up. So, like the checkout clerk she mouthed the words she knew she had to force out.

That I believe more than anything else was why she bailed early on the three hours she’d promised to the Committee for that hearing. Noem was PISSED at having been confronted that way. As with that poor puppy she wasn’t the least bit sorry for what she’d done to those Veteran’s and/or their families. However she was embarrassed and mad as hell over being publicly called out for it and having to PRETEND she gave a rat’s ass. Come to think of it “rat’s ass” describes Kristi Noem pretty well, don’t you think?

If you have seen much news, this article from People Magazine spells it out for you.  This past Thursday Noem testified to a House committee on national security threats. I noted three hours of testimony had been scheduled but Noem bailed early. Again, I say the biggest reason why was that  Democratic Rep. Seth Magaziner (Rhode Island) came loaded for bear.  He asked her how many U.S. military Veteran’s had been deported on her watch. I’m betting he was pretty sure she’d try to dodge the question, but she outright LIED and he was ready for just that possibility:

When she replied, “Sir, we have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans,” Magaziner began to express his respect for military members as a man who had been sitting behind him stood and brought over a tablet featuring a veteran calling into the hearing over video.

“As Americans, we owe everything to those who have served our country in uniform, particularly those who have served in combat. Do you agree with that?” Magaziner asked.

Sensing trouble, Noem started to try and sling some b.s. ‘justification’ and Magaziner cut her off at the knees. Via Zoom he introduced her to Sai Joon Park (who because of Noem – and Trump – is now living in South Korea where he hadn’t been since he was seven years old. It was explained to ICE Barbie that this U.S. Army combat veteran was shot twice in Panama in 1989 serving this country.

“Madame Secretary, we are joined on Zoom by a gentleman named Sae Joon Park,” Magaziner said. “He is a United States Army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989.” Like so many who’ve been in combat, especially those wounded Park suffered from PTSD and wound up being arrested for minor drug offenses. It seems because he didn’t show up for a mandatory treatment program he was prosecuted and convicted. However, as Magaziner noted he’d been sober for FOURTEEN years when he was forced out of the country he’d served

Magaziner then asked Noem to join him in “thanking Mr. Park for his service to our country.”

She responded by saying she is “grateful for every single person that has served our country and follows our laws, and knows that our laws are important and every one of them needs to be enforced.”

Although the linked article doesn’t say it Brown was in the room and stood up as Magaziner asked Noem to thank him for his service. I watched, and while he didn’t glare at her just him standing there looking at her cut her to the bone. With him standing there for  her to see as she turned what else could she do but mouth the words Thank you for your service? Of course she again went into bogus (more like bullshit) ‘justification mode’:

Noem claimed it was not “my prerogative, my latitude or my job to pick and choose which laws in this country get enforced,” but Magaziner hit back by claiming she has “broad discretion” as DHS secretary. When asked, she said she would review the case of Brown’s wife.

Magaziner wasn’t having it, and forced her to confront yet another Veteran, one of my fellow jarheads. His father, Nestor Baranco was targeted by ICE this past summer. Not mentioned in the article was that he’d been here for decades, was hardworking and law abiding and had raised three, count em THREE sons who became U.S. Marines and two are still on active duty.  I’m sure by then Noem saw that poor puppy’s face every time she looked at Magaziner!  Also, that she was furiously thinking ‘Why the hell did I agree to show up for this, and how the hell do I get OUT?’ 

Well, the reporting shows she used an excuse of having to attend a meeting elsewhere that she simply couldn’t skip.  Leaving aside the quality of her management skills to agree to be in two places at one time, if she didn’t already know she learned in the outer chamber of the hearing room that other meeting had been cancelled!  So, did she go back in and complete her testimony? Hell no. She scurried away like a cockroach seeking safety from getting stomped on!

Well, she at least promised she’d ‘look into’ these cases. I suspect she will actually have the files on each of these cases sent to her. However I truly doubt she’ll read them. Instead she’ll take a a Trump style Sharpie only it writes in red ink instead of black the words – “If ANY of these people are allowed back in the country I’ll make sure anyone involved in allowing them back is FIRED and will never work again. AND that they will be prosecuted!”

The tragic thing is that these are only three cases out of a whole ocean of them. As an article from Reason tells us with ‘receipts’ to back up their claim most of the people Noem’s good squad of thugs has rounded up are not the “worst of the worst” as promised. Not even close:

Of the roughly 281,000 people arrested by ICE from January 20 through December 9, fewer than 10,000 individuals are classified as “the worst of the worst” by the DHS, according to analysis done by the Cato Institute’s Director of Immigration Studies, David Bier. Of those classified, “a majority (56 percent) of the list has not been charged or convicted of a violent crime,” according to Bier, “and nearly a quarter…had nothing but a vice, immigration (e.g., illegal entry), or non-DUI traffic charge.” Thousands of faces and names have been placed on the DHS’ list for minor offenses, like drug possession charges.

For those who aren’t political geeks the Cato Institute is no bastion of liberal thought. On the contrary. Yet just who DHS has gone after (and deported) has been on their radar for a while and it seems policy is consistent:

The DHS database tracks closely with previous findings by Bier. After analyzing data on immigration arrests between October 1, 2024, and June 14, 2025, Bier found that 65 percent of people arrested by ICE had no criminal convictions, and 93 percent had no violent convictions. Even more recently, data on individuals booked into ICE custody since October 1 showed an increase in the number of detainees with no criminal convictions—73 percent—and even fewer people with violent convictions—only 5 percent. (Note that Bier’s analysis estimated an even higher percentage of violent criminals in ICE custody than the new DHS database.)

Not that we needed any reminders but the Trump White House with Stephen Miller running point wants numbers. LARGE numbers of deportations like some LE boss demanding more traffic tickets be issued. Even establishing QUOTAs. It’s truly appalling. It doesn’t matter who gets rounded up and deported, only that as many as possible are and as quickly as possible. None of us I think have issues with those convicted of violent crimes and other truly serious felonies that merit lots of years in prison get deported. However that takes more work and courage than the p@$$ies (yeah, I used a politically incorrect word but it’s one that will have the needed impact) wearing tactical gear and hiding behind masks want to put in.

So they are going for low-hanging fruit. No one who wasn’t born in this country to two parents who were here legally is safe. Not even Veterans. Not even Veteran’s who’ve been wounded when they were on active duty serving this country they love. (or did) This sure as hell isn’t the country I once served both in the Marines and for a bit as a civilian with FEMA a couple of decades ago. At least there’s some good news. Trump’s approval rating on immigration is underwater as it is on everything else.

Even MAGAs are starting to say this isn’t what they expected or want Team Trump to be doing. Unfortunately not enough have spoken up yet. However ICE Barbie shows no inclination to ratchet down her goon squad. Every day we see at least one appalling incident in the news. We can only hope Trump’s polling on immigration completely tanks. It won’t end the cruelty. Stephen Miller simply won’t allow that to happen.  Cruelty is his version of boner pills! However we might, maybe see less of it.

Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula

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