Kristi Noem blasts 'fake news' coverage of deported Salvadoran national, says SCOTUS sent 'clear message'

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sounded off on "fake news" which she said put an accused MS-13 gang member on a pedestal in an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Monday.

Salvadoran national Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, 29, was arrested on March 12 in Baltimore and deported to his home country three days later despite having been granted "Withholding of Removal" status and having legal working papers from the Department of Homeland Security. In 2019, a judge ruled that Abrego Garcia could not be deported because it was "more likely than not that he would be persecuted by gangs," according to a complaint filed by his attorney, Fox Baltimore reported.

The 29-year-old national was deported to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, El Salvador, for being an alleged MS-13 gang member, but his attorneys say he does not have any gang ties. The Trump administration acknowledged it mistakenly deported him "because of an administrative error," but said they cannot bring him back because he is in Salvadoran custody.

MARYLAND IMMIGRANT WRONGLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR MUST RETURN TO US, SUPREME COURT RULES

As prisoners stand looking out from a cell, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center (CECOT) on March 26, 2025, in Tecoluca, El Salvador.  (Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)

A vigil is reportedly taking place on behalf of Abrego Garcia outside the White House on Monday, with faith leaders urging President Donald Trump to get him home. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration must "facilitate" his return, but stopped short of requiring the government to return him to the United States. Both Abrego Garcia’s attorneys and the Trump administration interpreted the decision as a win.

"Tonight, the rule of law prevailed," Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, one of Abrego Garcia’s attorneys, said. "The Supreme Court upheld the District Judge’s order that the government has to bring Kilmar home. Now they need to stop wasting time and get moving."

But Noem saw the case differently.

"Yes, I think that what the Supreme Court said here in this decision was a very clear message to other judges across this country, is that stop acting like you have the authority to dictate foreign policy and national security decisions that the president is making to protect its citizens," Noem said on "Fox & Friends." 

"So, this was just one of those examples of an individual that was an MS-13 gang member, had multiple charges and encounters with the individuals here… trafficking in his background, was found with other MS-13 gang members, very dangerous person."

"And what the liberal left and the fake news are doing to turn him into a media darling is sickening," she said.

TRUMP ADMIN DEFENDS DEPORTING ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER TO EL SALVADOR AMID BACKLASH

This undated photo provided by Murray Osorio PLLC shows Kilmar Abrego Garcia.  (Murray Osorio PLLC via AP)

Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller also defined the Supreme Court ruling as a win for the Trump administration in an appearance on Fox News, Monday.

"We won the Supreme Court case, clearly, 9-0," Miller said. "A district court judge said, unconscionably, that the president and his administration have to go into El Salvador, and extradite one of their citizens - an El Salvadoran citizen - so that would be kidnapping. That we have to kidnap an El Salvadoran citizen against the will of his government and fly him back to America, which would be an unimaginable act, an invasion of El Salvador sovereignty."

The ruling "clearly" read, Miller said, that "no district court can compel the president to exercise his Article II foreign powers in any way whatsoever."

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Fox News' Audrey Conklin and Emma Colton contributed to this report.