Tensions escalated when Noem reportedly ordered a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft, engaged in a search-and-rescue mission for a missing servicemember, to return for a migrant deportation flight.
Under Noem's direction, Coast Guard planes are now used for migrant deportations at ten times the previous rate, straining resources and re-prioritising missions like counternarcotics over search-and-rescue.
The situation has created an atmosphere of caution within the Coast Guard, with one official describing a 'keep your head down' mentality.
A DHS spokesperson denied these claims, stating that migrant transportation has not been prioritized over search-and-rescue and attributing the reports to a 'politicised deep state effort' against President Trump’s immigration agenda.
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