Kristi Noem says ICE may ask people to validate identity during operations

According to People, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended reports that federal immigration agents have asked people to prove their citizenship as Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue in cities across America. Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Thursday, Jan.

15, Noem was asked why ICE and border agents have seemingly questioned people about their citizenship and whether she expects Americans to be carrying proof. "In every situation, we are doing targeted enforcement," she said. "If we are on a target and doing an operation, there may be individuals surrounding that criminal that we may be asking who they are and why they’re there and having them validate their identity." "That’s what we’ve always done in asking people who they are so that we know who’s in those surroundings," she added, and said that if someone is deemed to be breaking the law they will be detained "until we’ve run that processing." ICE enforcement has come under renewed scrutiny in 2026 after a series of violent encounters, including a Jan.

3 Texas detainee death that a medical examiner is likely to rule a homicide, the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a Jan. 9 protester who was permanently blinded and allegedly mocked, and a Jan. 14 shooting of a Venezuelan man in the leg.

Key Topics

Politics, Kristi Noem, Ice, Renee Nicole Good, Donald Trump, Joe Rogan