Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will visit Del Rio, Texas, on Sunday to meet with Border Patrol staff and agents for an operational briefing.
She will be joined by newly appointed Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, marking a significant moment in the Biden-era border crisis turnaround under President Donald Trump.
Noem and Banks arrived in Del Rio on Saturday night and will spend Sunday alongside the Del Rio Horse Patrol Unit, a team that was falsely accused of “whipping migrants” by former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2021.
The accusations were debunked, yet the Biden administration pushed a false narrative, ultimately disciplining agents for minor policy infractions.
Since Trump’s return to office, border crossings have plummeted by 93%, proving that his strong stance on illegal immigration and border security works.
Noem’s visit will include an aerial tour of the Eagle Pass region and a ride-along with the Horse Patrol Unit, underscoring the administration’s commitment to securing the southern border.
This trip is not Noem’s first time assisting Texas with border security. As governor of South Dakota, she sent National Guard troops to support Governor Greg Abbott’s efforts when the Biden administration failed to act. Now, as DHS Secretary, Noem is taking direct action to restore law and order at the border—something the previous administration refused to do.
In August 2024,the House Oversight Committee announced that it had launched an investigation into Harris’ role as “border czar” at the time.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating Vice President Harris’s role in effectuating the worst border crisis in American history,” the committee wrote in a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy Miller.
“Since the Biden-Harris Administration assumed office, there have been more than 8 million illegal aliens encountered entering the country through the southwest border and over 1.6 million ‘gotaways.’ The mass illegal migration under the Biden-Harris Administration has contributed to murders, sexual assaults, and serious bodily injuries committed against numerous Americans at the hands of illegal aliens,” the letter adds. “The Committee requests documents and communications to understand Vice President Harris’s role in the worst border crisis in American history.”
