After the initial warning, “We will hunt you down,” Noem went on to thank the current president for securing the border and putting America first. The secretary added, “Let me deliver a message from President Trump to the world: if you are considering entering America illegally, don’t even think about it.” Noem’s words were spoken as images of immigration enforcement were shown, along with images of large migrant groups crossing into the United States illegally.
“Criminals are not welcome in the United States,” Noem emphasized. In reference to lax immigration policies during the Biden administration, the secretary announced, “Those days are over!”
🚨A MESSAGE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS🚨
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 18, 2025
"We will hunt you down... you will be caught. You will be removed, and you will never return." –@Sec_Noem pic.twitter.com/Yeozwi3VS2
The message comes as arrests at the southwest border continue to plummet. According to the Trump Border Czar Tom Homan, on Sunday, 229 migrants were arrested for entering the United States illegally from Mexico. In a social media post on Monday, Homan says the daily total is lower than at any time he can remember since he began his career as a Border Patrol agent in 1984.
In the last 24 hours the US Border Patrol has encountered a total of 229 aliens across the entire southwest border. That is down from a high of over 11,000 a day under Biden. I started as a Border Patrol Agent in 1984 and I don’t remember the numbers ever being that low.…
— Thomas D. Homan (@RealTomHoman) February 17, 2025
According to Homan, interior enforcement efforts are also increasing under the Trump administration. Homan says interior arrests by ICE have increased more than 137% under Trump’s directives. Arrests of migrants with criminal convictions and those suspected of being gang members have doubled since President Trump was inaugurated, according to Homan.
The stark messaging and increased enforcement actions seem to have the desired effect far outside the United States’ borders. As reported by Breitbart Texas, the Border Patrol has received verified reports confirming several groups of migrants have been encountered by foreign law enforcement agencies headed south rather than north toward the United States.
The new trend, according to authorities in Honduras, shows the migrants are now abandoning their attempts to reach the United States. According to Chief of the Border Patrol Michael W. Banks, just days ago, nearly 50 migrants headed to the U.S. were encountered in Honduras headed south, away from the U.S./Mexico border.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
