Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said the agency has identified “another prolific leaker” in a post to X on Wednesday, adding that she plans to refer the person to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for felony prosecution.
Noem alleged the individual served as a source for Daily Mail journalist Shawn Cohen, tagging him in the post and writing, “@spccohen is down another source.”
Why It Matters
Noem’s comments signaled a heightened warning to government employees and contractors about disclosing operational details to the press. The move aligns with a broader push by the Trump administration to accelerate immigration enforcement and discourage leaks that officials say could endanger agents and disrupt arrests.
Noem has also faced bipartisan calls to resign following the killings of two American civilians—Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti—by federal agents in Minnesota last month.
What To Know
Noem said on X that DHS had identified “another prolific leaker” who she claimed was providing information to a Daily Mail reporter.
While it remains unclear what information was disclosed—or whether any details were in fact shared—Noem said she intends to refer the individual to the DOJ for criminal prosecution.
“We just caught another prolific leaker putting our @DHSgov law enforcement at risk as they already face 8,000% increase in death threats against them,” Noem wrote, adding, “I plan to refer this individual to @TheJusticeDept for criminal prosecution.”
Noem has previously claimed threats against federal agents are rising. In October, she told Fox & Friends Weekend that some agents have been targeted amid stepped-up immigration enforcement, alleging that “gangs, cartel members and known terrorist organizations” have placed bounties on them.
Her comments followed a shooting that month of a civilian that Noem alleged had “boxed in” federal agents during an operation. No verified statistics supporting an “8,000 percent” increase in threats to federal agents were available at the time of publication.
Last year, when two other alleged leakers were identified, Noem said they could face up to 10 years in federal prison, The Hill reported.
At the time, she also pointed to expanded leak-detection measures, including polygraph use, and continued personnel changes at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as DHS pursues enforcement goals.
Who Is Shawn Cohen?
Cohen is a senior reporter on the Daily Mail’s exclusives team. His social media bio identifies him as the author of the true-crime book College Girl, Missing, described there as a New York Times bestseller.
He previously spent several years working for The Journal News, Gannett’s news outlet in Westchester County, New York.
DHS has not publicly identified who it is accusing of leaking information or providing material to Cohen.
What People Are Saying
Noem, on X Wednesday: “We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment, or status as a career civil servant—we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Noem, to Fox & Friends Weekend in October: “We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their heads. It’s been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them. They’ve released their pictures. They’ve sent them between their networks, and it’s an extremely dangerous situation and unprecedented.”
What Happens Next
DHS said it would refer the individual to the DOJ, which would decide whether to bring charges and under what statutes.
As of publication, DHS had not publicly named the accused leaker or released any charging documents.
