Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a shocking claim this week, stating that a deported immigrant allegedly began eating his own arms during a flight. Noem shared the disturbing story while touring the newly opened “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility alongside former President Donald Trump in Florida’s Everglades.
Speaking to reporters, Noem recounted a conversation with U.S. Marshals working in coordination with ICE.
“They told me they had a detainee on a deportation flight — a cannibal — and while seated on the plane, he began eating his own arms,” she said. “They had to remove him and get him immediate medical help.”
Noem had previously shared the account during a Fox News interview with Jesse Watters, saying a U.S. Marshal mentioned the story casually while describing a “planeload of illegals.” When Noem asked what he meant by “cannibal,” the marshal allegedly replied, “He was literally eating his own arms.”
“What bothered me most was how normal it sounded to him,” Noem added. “He told me the man had eaten other people before and then started eating himself.”
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, used the account to defend the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, insisting that law enforcement is focused on removing the most dangerous individuals — not ordinary undocumented migrants.
“These are not just people crossing the border for work,” she said. “We’re talking about deeply disturbed individuals who pose real threats. They do not belong in our communities.”
As of now, the Department of Homeland Security has not verified or provided evidence to support Noem’s account. No flight logs or official reports confirming the incident have been released.
Inside “Alligator Alcatraz”
The comments came during a visit to the recently completed detention facility unofficially dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The 62-square-kilometer site — located roughly 65 kilometers from Miami and surrounded by dense swampland populated by alligators and pythons — was reportedly constructed in just eight days. It is central to the Trump administration’s renewed deportation push.
The first group of detainees was transferred to the remote center on Wednesday.
Background and Controversy
Noem’s claim also echoes unfounded rhetoric that has circulated in right-wing circles in recent years. In 2024, tech billionaire Elon Musk and others shared online warnings about so-called “cannibal gangs” among Haitian migrants — claims that were widely discredited and condemned for fueling xenophobic fear.
While Noem’s recent remarks have reignited similar concerns and debates over immigration policy, the DHS has yet to issue an official comment on the alleged incident.
Critics say the story may be an attempt to justify extreme enforcement measures, while supporters view it as evidence of the need for stricter border controls.
