Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed that members of dangerous Latin American gangs Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have been encountered attempting to enter the United States from Canada following the Trump administration’s crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Noem, the top U.S. border official, shared with attendees at a northern border security-focused event in Detroit on Friday that federal law enforcement stationed along that border were seeing an uptick in members of two notorious gangs showing up at the Canada border.
“They’re seeing so many more [Tren de Aragua] members, MS-13 members crossing now here at the northern ports of entry and coming across the northern border because the southern border is closed,” Noem said during an America’s Future roundtable about her tour with Customs and Border Protection officers earlier in the day.
“They’re stopping them because they’re there and they still have the resources to, but the amount of drugs and the illegals and the criminals that are trying to come into this country still that you guys are able to stop is remarkable,” Noem added.
Noem’s appearance came several days after she was rushed in an ambulance to a Washington-area hospital for what the DHS said was an allergic reaction.
The secretary was released from the hospital later that day and appeared fine at the Detroit event.
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, was joined onstage by other state and local officials, including Rep. John James (R-MI), who is running for Michigan governor.
“As great as Michigan is, we are at the forefront. We are the epicenter of the northern border crisis,” James said. “We need closer ties and more seriousness from our Canadian neighbors with regard to border security.”
James pointed to a recent CBS News 60 Minutes episode that shined a light on an alleged drug cartel member who stated on camera that he smuggled 30 kilograms of fentanyl over the Canadian border into the U.S. per month.
“Now our largest land border in the entire world is our northern border, and if this man can bring in 30 kilos by himself — exactly what that means is a lethal dose of fentanyl is five to seven grains of salt,” said James. “Him bringing in 30 kilos is enough to kill up to 90,000 Americans. That’s one person in one month. That’s serious. That’s a crisis.”
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Noem promised to boost federal law enforcement staffing and resources at the northern border.
“We’re not letting down our guard here at the northern border,” said Noem. “We’re strengthening not just what we do at our ports of entry to scan shipping containers, trucks, cars, passengers, people, and pedestrians that may cross, but also what we’re doing out on the waters and on your Great Lakes.”