DHS Secretary Noem taken to hospital after allergic reaction

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem was taken to a hospital on Tuesday after suffering an allergic reaction, a department spokesperson told the Washington Post.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for DHS, said Noem was transported to the hospital by ambulance “out of an abundance of caution” and “is alert and recovering.”

As governor of South Dakota, Noem was a staunch ally of President Donald Trump before joining his administration. She now leads a sprawling agency of more than 260,000 people that is charged with border enforcement, disaster response and other law enforcement responsibilities.

Noem has helmed Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown in cities, including the ongoing raids in Los Angeles by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Last week, the secretary vowed that the ICE raids and deportation arrests – a key component of Trump’s immigration agenda – would continue across Los Angeles. Trump has also directed Noem to deploy ICE agents across the nation and “expand efforts to detain and deport” undocumented immigrants in Democratic-run cities, such as Chicago and New York.

No further details about the allergic reaction were provided.