Slotkin Confronts Noem on Deportation of Citizens and Legal Immigrants

Concerns Over Deportation Practices

• 💡 Senator Slotkin, a former CIA officer, expresses concern that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may be overreaching its mandate to close the border.
• ⚠️ She questions whether the department is going beyond targeting the "most dangerous illegal immigrants" and mistakenly deporting legal immigrants and even American citizens.
• 📌 Slotkin emphasizes the importance of due process and rights, drawing parallels to families who fled environments lacking basic rights like habeas corpus.

DHS Response and Clarifications

• 🎯 DHS Secretary Noem denies deporting any US citizens or legal immigrants, stating that if individuals are identified as such during vetting, they remain in the United States.
• ❓ Slotkin presses further, asking if any American citizens, including children, have been deported during Noem's tenure, referencing a specific instance involving children with cancer.
• 🗣️ Noem clarifies that mothers have chosen to keep their children with them, implying these are not forced deportations of citizens.

Scope of Deportation Targets

• 🔬 Slotkin questions whether PhD and master's students with legal status and no weapons are considered among the "most dangerous illegal immigrants."
• ⚖️ She argues that the Department of State, not DHS, decides student visa status, and DHS's role is enforcement.
• 😨 Slotkin asserts that the current approach creates a "chill down the spine of America" by targeting individuals with legal status or citizenship, potentially for political reasons.

Cybersecurity Budget Cuts

• ✂️ Slotkin raises concerns about a $500 million cut to the cybersecurity budget, questioning specific program reductions.
• 💻 She highlights the reliance of states and locals on federal programs like the ISAC program for cybersecurity.
• 🛡️ Slotkin criticizes the claim of being the "most cyber secure administration" while cutting programs vital for state and local security.