They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it took Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) only four to try to shut down Homeland Security Secretary of Kristi Noem during a heated debate over a photo of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported by the Trump.
The two squabbled during a Homeland Security budget hearing in Washington, D.C., Wednesday over a photo of Abrego Garcia’s hand. The two debated whether his hand had MS-13 tattoos, per Fox News.
At one point, Salwell declared, “I have a bulls*** detector,” when Noem wanted to explain Abrego Garcia’s deportation was the result of an investigation, not the photo.
“I want you to have credibility and I want you to be taken seriously. Is this doctored or is it not?” Swalwell asked. Swalwell was referring a photo President Donald Trump posted on social media. Swalwell suggested the letters “M,” “S” and the numbers “1” and “3” above the tattoos were added to the photo.
“Madam Secretary, I have a 7-year-old, a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old,” Swalwell said. “I have a bulls*** detector. I’m just asking you, is this doctored or not?”
For her part, Noem said it was “unbelievable” the focus of the hearing was on the photo and not national security.
Noem noted the mission of DHS is to go after “the worst of the worst, the criminals, the bad actors.”
“Abrego Garcia is a known terrorist and member of MS-13, a wife beater and a human trafficker that should never have been in this country to begin with,” Noem said.
