WASHINGTON—Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has relaunched the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office, she announced at an April 9 press conference at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Washington.
On April 10, the homeland security secretary hosted Angel Families, who are families of victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, to commemorate the office’s reopening.
“President Trump is ‘righting the ship,’ and he’s reopening this office, and he’s going to prioritize not only these families, but all the families that will be impacted by illegal immigration and the tragedy of losing someone because of the consequences of it,” the secretary said.
“The VOICE office will be here to make sure that these victims and their stories will be heard.”
She said the office will pursue three objectives.
First, it will use a “victim-centered” approach to offering support for crime victims and their families.
Second, it will promote greater awareness of resources available to victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
Third, it will work to foster partnerships with “community stakeholders” to assist victims.
Noem discussed some of the families’ cases and said VOICE would provide both them and victims with necessary resources while criticizing the immigration policies under the Biden administration.
“Now we have consequences for people who break the law,” Noem said. “Now there is enforcement of our laws, that people know that it matters when you do right, and there are going to be severe consequences when you do wrong.”
The secretary said the Trump administration has already deported more than 800 people to a prison in El Salvador who are alleged to be members of the Venezuela-based Tren De Aragua, which Trump recently designated as a terrorist organization.
Noem suggested that the administration’s immigration policies are aimed at fentanyl trafficking.
“Cartels are setting up networks to bring in ingredients for fentanyl into Mexico from China. They’re participating with Chinese businesses and [People’s Republic of China] affiliates, smuggling it in, laundering money, and bringing it into this country,” Noem said.
“America is in a new war with China over this issue, and cartel terrorists have been helping them fight it.”
She said that last week, Customs and Border Protection seized 34 pounds of fentanyl in California and 73 pounds of fentanyl, 121 pounds of methamphetamine, and nine pounds of cocaine in Nogales, Arizona, in a single arrest.
Noem also confirmed that the Trump administration will continue using the Alien Enemies Act to deport certain illegal immigrants.
“We’re working with the White House, and we’re not going to talk about specific operations to protect law enforcement officers,” Noem said.
“But we will use the Alien Enemies Act. We will continue to use it to deport people.
“One of the reasons I went to El Salvador last week was to visit with [President Nayib Bukele] and ask him to continue to take terrorists from the United States of America that don’t belong here. And he is committed to continuing to work with us.”
In response to a question about the lack of information from the administration on the alleged gang members who had already been deported to El Salvador, Noem said officials were confident in their “incredible intelligence capabilities.”
“We’re confident that people that are there should be there, and they should stay there for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Noem confirmed recent news that the IRS will share data and information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to aid it in criminal investigations into suspected illegal immigrants.
“I think the American people need to be confident in the fact that their personal privacy will be protected and that this will be a targeted agreement that will go specifically after individuals who do perpetuate violence and enact crimes in this country,” she said.
“We'll continue to talk about the specifics of the agreement, but right now, that needs to be unveiled in a way that is transparent to the public.”
Agnes Gibboney, whose son Ronald da Silva, 29, was killed by a previously deported illegal immigrant in 2002, said the reinstatement of VOICE is a “huge victory” for “families of murder victims at the hands of illegal aliens.”
“This program is incredibly important for us because it gives us a little safety net, someone that we can go to for help,” Gibboney told The Epoch Times.
“I live in California, which is a sanctuary state; you can’t go to any [police or official] office to ask for any help. You get none. So VOICE will be that help.”
