DHS Sec. Kristi Noem’s Bag, Including $3,000 In Cash, Stolen From Restaurant

While dining at a restaurant in downtown Washington, DC on Sunday evening, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was the victim of a theft.

Speaking later during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Noem confirmed the incident had occurred but said the matter remained unresolved.

According to a law enforcement official who spoke with CNN, the Secret Service—responsible for Noem’s protection—reviewed security footage from the restaurant. The video reportedly shows a white male wearing a surgical mask seizing Noem’s belongings and leaving the premises.

Among the stolen items were Noem’s driver’s license, prescription medication, keys to her residence, passport, DHS access badge, makeup bag, blank checks, and approximately $3,000 in cash.

The source indicated that the Secret Service has launched an investigation to determine whether any of Noem’s financial information has been used fraudulently.

Just days before the theft, Noem made headlines after announcing the identification of individuals allegedly leaking sensitive details about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

“We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” she wrote in a post on X last Friday. “We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”

“We’re going to continue to do all that we can to keep America safe,” she added.

Noem did not disclose the identities of those allegedly involved.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News that the suspects would be formally charged.

“We are preparing to refer these perpetrators to the DOJ for felony prosecutions,” McLaughlin said. “These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison. We will find and root out all leakers. They will face prison time, and we will get justice for the American people.”

Earlier in the month, Noem shared that her department had made progress in identifying sources of leaked ICE information.

“I have found some leakers,” she said during an interview with The Epoch Times. “We are continuing to get more. They will be fired, and there will be consequences.”

She also noted that DHS employed “every tactic,” such as polygraphs and thorough reviews of emails and internal communication, to track down the culprits.

Noem’s statements came on the heels of a Los Angeles Times article that detailed an upcoming ICE operation based on leaked documents.

In response, she took to X and stated, “The FBI is so corrupt,” vowing to work with “any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law.”

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) rejected Noem’s criticism, as noted by the media outlet.

“FBI Special Agents serve our country every day with integrity, upholding the Constitution to protect the American people from national security and criminal threats,” the FBIAA stated on X.

The association also endorsed an official statement released by the FBI on February 14.

“The facts show the FBI has been standing shoulder to shoulder with our DHS partners across the country to lawfully support their immigration enforcement efforts. We have thousands of FBI personnel supporting these operations, including special agents embedded on DHS enforcement teams, intelligence analysts, linguists, and professional staff, all of whom are dedicated professionals deserving of respect,” read the FBI’s statement.

“The FBI contribution to DHS’s immigration enforcement operations is nothing less than our full partnership, which has resulted in well over a thousand arrests and lawful detentions. Nearly two hundred of these involved felony arrest warrants, including some subjects of FBI investigations with gang affiliations or a nexus to terrorism. We will continue to lean forward with our partners to prioritize the safety of the communities we all serve together,” it added.

“Making unfounded allegations calling FBI agents corrupt is deeply irresponsible and has not been supported by any evidence to date. As always, if violations of policy or the law are properly reported, the FBI will treat this with the utmost seriousness and take appropriate action. Unless evidence of violations is presented, such comments undermine the men and women of the FBI. The FBI invites DHS to partner in determining the source of any leaked information and working together professionally to ensure the safety and security of ongoing immigration enforcement operations,” the statement continued.