Overview
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held a high‑profile press conference at Otay Mesa with Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks and other CBP leaders to promote border security and drug‑seizure results.
- Loud sirens and demonstrators outside the facility repeatedly drowned out the remarks, and Noem said protests were acceptable if conducted peacefully.
- The event was staged with stacks of boxes labeled evidence and bags of seized narcotics as DHS emphasized reduced fentanyl flow and large seizure totals.
- The visit came as polling shows declining public support for the administration’s immigration tactics following two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis and fresh calls from top Democrats for Noem’s removal.
- San Diego has filed a federal lawsuit over razor wire installed on city land that names Noem as a defendant, and DHS funding was reported to be approaching an expiration without a congressional deal.