Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, is infamous for her controversial actions and personality. She has always portrayed herself as a no-nonsense politician, especially when it comes to dealing with undocumented immigrants.
She has been one of the most active members of the Trump administration who has defended the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
Her close ties with ICE have also drawn sharp criticism online and led to derogatory nicknames. While many people, including some Republicans, feel that the Trump administration’s approach is extreme and often heartless in its effort to remove undocumented migrants, Noem stands her ground firmly and has never bowed down despite severe public backlash.
In September 2025, MSNBC reported that ICE would soon have a significant presence in Chicago. The announcement came shortly after Noem personally visited the city. This move was highly unpopular among the local residents.
A YouTube clip of the news sparked a wave of harsh comments aimed at her. One user questioned, “When is Krusty Gnome going to address the Hyundai debacle?” referring to the hundreds of Hyundai workers detained by ICE in September 2025, according to PBS. Another commented, “Crusty Gnome was looking for more puppies to shoot, or did she just want to show off her new ‘police’ outfit?” A third user simply said, “Old Bat Noem needs to go away.”
Donald Trump said ICE raids haven’t gone far enough.
Kristi Noem said no citizens have been detained in these raids.
But we know the truth. Because we have story after heartbreaking story that proves otherwise.
Listen to these brave Americans in their own words. pic.twitter.com/pr07AgrOAV
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) November 4, 2025
Noem’s actions in Chicago continued to draw criticism on social media, with many expressing disapproval of her approach. The aggressive ICE presence in the city lasted through October 2025, causing more controversy.
One of the most heated moments came when Illinois Governor JB Pritzker asked Noem to halt ICE operations during Halloween. Pritzker sent an open letter, requesting a pause from October 31 to November 2. He emphasized the importance of giving children a safe and fear-free environment to celebrate.
Pritzker said, “I am respectfully requesting you suspend enforcement operations from Friday, October 31 to Sunday, November 2 in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, houses of worship, and other community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place.”
Pritzker also added, “Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick-or-treating in their own neighborhood.”
However, Noem ignored the governor’s appeal. During an interview with America Reports, she stated, “No, we’re going to be out on the streets in full force and increase our activities to make sure kids are safe…”
Kristi Noem just said ICE will “be out on the streets in full force” on Halloween “to make sure kids are safe.”
That’s not ICE’s job. It’s not community safety, it’s intimidation dressed up as law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/hzWO2a3XoK
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) October 30, 2025
She further explained, “We’re going to be out there to make sure that they can be safe, enjoy the holiday, spend some time with their families and their neighbors and their communities, and they don’t have to be the victims of a crime because of these illegal aliens that are in our country victimizing them.”
Her decision drew sharp criticism online. A particularly popular comment on Reddit, which received over 500 upvotes, read, “Nothing says Christian like terrorizing families on Halloween.”
With her actions earning her new nicknames, Noem has, however, never hesitated before making distasteful comments or actively participating in actions that put the immigrants in a worse place than they already are.
Like Trump, Noem is also quite fixated on the current immigrant situation in America and observers would be interested to see her reactions after the results of Tuesday night’s elections where Democrats won.
