Secretary Noem Shuts Down Escobar’s Accusation: “It Was the Parents’ Choice to Take Their Children”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivered a blunt reality check to Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) during a tense exchange at Tuesday’s House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Homeland Security.
Rep. Escobar attempted to reignite the long-disputed narrative that the Trump administration forcibly separated families at the border. But Secretary Noem, armed with facts and composure, corrected the record.
The Accusation
Escobar claimed that under Trump’s immigration policy, U.S. citizen children were “deported” alongside their non-citizen parents, and in one instance, a child with cancer allegedly lacked access to vital medication. She questioned whether parents were even given the opportunity to assign guardianship through ICE Form 71-078, the “Caregiver Designation at Arrest” document.
“Three children so far, likely more children,” Escobar stated. “One of those children had cancer… and was deported without medication.”
Escobar demanded a simple “yes or no” answer as to whether this particular ICE form was used in those cases.
The Response
Secretary Noem calmly but firmly refuted the implication that the government forcibly separated families, saying:
“In the specific cases you’re referencing… it was the parents’ choice to take their children.”
Noem emphasized that the Trump administration’s policy was explicitly designed to keep families together — contrary to the Democrats’ long-running media narrative.
When Escobar tried to cut her off to press for a form number, Noem replied:
“I will get back to you on that specific form. I don’t know the number, but I do know these mothers went on the record filling out paperwork.”
The Broader Context
Noem’s testimony underlined the reality of what the Trump-era immigration policies were meant to do: enforce the law while offering families agency and choices within the process. In contrast, Escobar’s talking points leaned heavily on emotionally charged anecdotes, stripped of legal and logistical nuance.
The hearing revealed once again how partisan soundbites often seek to overshadow the facts on the ground. Secretary Noem made clear that DHS is operating under a policy that aims to uphold the law and family integrity, even as critics continue to distort the Trump-era approach for political points.
Noem’s leadership at DHS represents a shift back to border security rooted in clarity, accountability, and national sovereignty — not media spin.