Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday that her department has not deported any veterans. Moments later, Rep. Seth Magaziner revealed that a deported veteran was on the Zoom call, watching her say it.
Sae Joon Park is a Purple Heart recipient who served in combat in Panama in 1989 and was wounded in action. He came to the U.S. from South Korea at age 7, served his country, and later struggled with PTSD and addiction — leading to minor drug offenses in the 1990s. Earlier this year, ICE used those decades-old convictions to remove him. He was taken into custody in Hawaii in June and sent to South Korea.
According to USA Today, Magaziner asked Noem directly how many veterans her department had deported. When she denied any such deportations had occurred, he informed her that Park — the combat veteran her department had removed — was present on Zoom at that very moment.
The clip is everywhere now, and it's easy to see why — watching a Cabinet official issue a categorical denial that is immediately, visibly contradicted by the person affected by her policies is peak MAGA. Noem later left the hearing early amid Democratic calls for her resignation.
Park, for his part, is still in South Korea — a decorated American soldier exiled for crimes he committed 30 years ago while battling the psychological wounds of his service.
Previously:
• Kristi Noem buys herself two Gulfstream jets using $172 million in taxpayer money
• DHS secretly paid firm tied to Kristi Noem in $220M ad campaign
• Kristi Noem finally gets real: 'You can't trust the government anymore' (video)
