19-02-2025
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announces new ad campaign
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — While the Trump Administration and Department of Government Efficiency proclaim the goal is to reduce government overspending and waste, the Department of Homeland Security is announcing an international, multi-million dollar ad campaign.
In a Monday night post on X, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem introduces herself and thanks President Trump for securing the border. She then tells anyone 'considering entering the United States illegally – don't even think about it.' The ads will run on radio, television, and even social media, according to the DHS website.
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There are two versions of the DHS advertisement: a domestic version that will air across America, and an international version that will air in 'multiple' countries.
In the domestic ad, Noem says that President Trump 'has a clear message for those that are in our country illegally.'
'Leave now. If you don't, we will find you and we will deport you. You will never return,' Noem says in the ad.
She also criticizes 'weak politicians' who 'left our borders wide open.'
This is not the first time Kristi Noem has made herself the star of a government-funded ad campaign. Starting in 2023, Noem played a plumber, dentist, State Trooper, and more in the 'Freedom Works Here' series of nine advertisements while governor of South Dakota. The campaign also included South Dakota sponsoring a bottom-ranked NASCAR team. State lawmakers questioned the use of $5 million of state funds for the campaign in November of 2023. However, reporting by the South Dakota Searchlight in April 2024 found that number to be closer to $9 million.
There is not a lot of hard data to justify a multi-million dollar workforce campaign. According to the Freedom Works Here website, about 11,400 workers are interested in moving to South Dakota, with about 3,000 getting assistance through the workforce development program. According to the state's Department of Labor and Regulation, South Dakota's workforce grew 1.1% from December 2023 to December 2024; or an increase of about 6,000 people.
Another ad campaign gained South Dakota national attention with social media users riffing on the slogan 'Meth. We're on It.' Then Governor Noem defended the $1.4 million campaign, saying the purpose was to raise awareness and the slogan accomplished that. The 2019 'Meth. We're on It' campaign was Noem's first ad campaign as newly-elected governor.
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Noem faced another advertisement-related controversy when she posted a video to her personal social media accounts promoting a Texas-based dentist that fixed her teeth. The video went up on March 11, 2024. By March 14, Noem and the dentistry faced a lawsuit by a consumer advocacy group. The Governor, her office, and the dentistry mentioned in the video did not respond to questions about the influencer-style ad and if Noem was compensated in any way.
The international ad campaign is the latest action by Secretary Noem that has drawn criticism. During her first week, Noem donned an ICE bullet-proof vest and tagged along with agents conducting illegal immigration raids in New York City. Critics said that Noem was there merely for publicity. Meanwhile, state and city leaders said the raids were part of months-long routine investigations, and not new efforts to crackdown on illegal immigration.
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