Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that the agency has identified “another prolific leaker,” and that she intends to refer the individual to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for felony prosecution.
In a post to X, Noem alleged the person served as a source for Daily Mail journalist Shawn Cohen, tagging him and writing that “@spccohen is down another source.”
Why It Matters
Noem’s announcement was a pointed warning to government employees and contractors who share operational information with the press. It comes as DHS leadership aligns with the Trump administration’s push to accelerate immigration enforcement and clamp down on leaks that officials argue can endanger agents and disrupt arrests.
Her escalation also arrives amid heightened scrutiny of DHS following the deaths of two American civilians—Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti—who were killed by federal agents in Minnesota last month. The incident has fueled bipartisan calls for Noem to resign.
What We Know
Noem said DHS had identified “another prolific leaker” who, she claimed, provided information to a Daily Mail reporter. She did not specify what was allegedly disclosed or when the reported leaks occurred.
“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 argued that threats against federal agents are rising. In an October appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend, she said some agents had been targeted with bounties that she attributed to “gangs, cartel members and known terrorist organizations.” Her comments followed a shooting that month involving a civilian whom Noem alleged had “boxed in” federal agents during an operation.
At the time of publication, no independently verifiable statistics were cited to support the claim of an “8,000 percent” increase in threats.
Noem has also pointed to earlier leak investigations. Last year, after two other alleged leakers were identified, she said they could face up to 10 years in federal prison, The Hill reported. She has signaled broader efforts to detect leaks, including the use of polygraphs and continued personnel changes at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as DHS pursues enforcement targets.
Who Is Shawn Cohen?
Cohen is a senior reporter on the Daily Mail’s exclusives team. His social media bio describes him as the author of the true-crime book College Girl, Missing, which he identifies as a New York Times bestseller.
He previously worked for several years at The Journal News, a Gannett outlet based in Westchester County, New York.
DHS has not publicly identified the person accused of leaking information or provided details about what, specifically, the individual is alleged to have shared with 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 identified individual to the DOJ. Federal prosecutors would then decide whether to pursue charges and under which statutes.
As of publication, DHS had not released charging documents or publicly named the alleged leaker.
