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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has claimed a cannibal detained by ICE started to eat himself on a deportation flight.
Noem made the remarks as she toured a new detention center in Florida’s Everglades, dubbed Alligator Alcatraz, with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
“The other day, I was talking to some [U.S.] marshals that have been partnering with ICE,” she said.
- Kristi Noem claimed a cannibal detained by ICE started eating himself on a deportation flight and required medical attention.
- Noem made the comments during a visit to Alligator Alcatraz, a new detention facility in Florida's Everglades.
- The new detention center will hold about 3,000 migrants who refuse to self-deport.
Kristi Noem said a cannibal started to eat himself on a deportation flight
Image credits: The White House
“They said that they had detained a cannibal and put him on a plane to take him home, and while they had him in his seat, he started to eat himself, and they had to get him off and get him medical attention.
“These are the kind of deranged individuals that are on our streets in America that we’re trying to target and get out of our country because they are so deranged they don’t belong here.”
“They shouldn’t be walking the streets with our children, and they shouldn’t be living in the communities with our families who just want to grow up, go to [their] job, raise their children to grow up and get a job, and to live the American dream,” she added.
‘Started to eat himself’: Noem tells bizarre story about cannibal on deportation flight 🫨
“The other day, I was talking to some marshals that had been partnering with ICE. They said that they had detained a cannibal and put him on a plane to take him home and while they had him… pic.twitter.com/XM23cqxT1W
— Steve Gruber (@stevegrubershow) July 2, 2025
Noem also accused former President Joe Biden of allowing “the worst of the worst” to enter the U.S. and said her department was trying to remove criminals from the streets.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security did not confirm exact details regarding the incident but told The Independent Noem had alluded to it in an X post.
The post referenced was made on June 27 after Noem experienced plane troubles in Guatemala.
“Had some plane issues on the ride back from Guatemala. Fortunately, an @ICEgov deportation flight carrying criminal illegal aliens had just touched down on the same tarmac in Guatemala,” she wrote on X.
Had some plane issues on the ride back from Guatemala. Fortunately, an @ICEgov deportation flight carrying criminal illegal aliens had just touched down on the same tarmac in Guatemala.
Hitched a ride back to the USA on ICE Air—great flight. Use the @CBP Home App to self deport… pic.twitter.com/Q5kNN08xHI
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 27, 2025
“Hitched a ride back to the USA on ICE Air—great flight. Use the @CBP Home App to self-deport now!”
The incident comes after Trump’s repeated reference to Hannibal Lecter, the fictional cannibalistic serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs, on the campaign trail last year.
Trump said he kept referencing the fictional character to make a point about the type of people he claimed were coming across the border.
“They used to go crazy when I talked about when I talk about Hannibal Lecter. The late, great Hannibal Lecter. Right? Silence of the Lambs,” Trump said at the annual National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in April, according to Mediaite.
“The fake news would say, ‘Why does he talk about that? He’s a fictional character.’ He’s not. We have many of them that came across the border. He’s actually not.
“But when the people went to the voting booth, then we understood why he talked about that because they voted for us. They say, ‘We don’t want Hannibal Lecter in our country.’”
Image credits: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Noem’s latest remarks were made at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’—a facility with beds in cages that is expected to hold around 3,000 migrants who refuse to self-deport.
She was touring the facility with Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who managed to get the makeshift facility put together in a matter of days.
Trump was asked by reporters ahead of the tour if the idea was for detainees to be eaten by alligators if they escaped.
Image credits: The White House
“I guess that’s the concept,” he replied.
On the tour, he also said that he “wouldn’t want to run through the Everglades for long” and anyone who tried would meet “a lot of cops in the form of alligators,” the BBC reported.
“We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland and the only way out is, really, deportation,” Trump added.
While critics oppose the facility’s construction, citing human rights violations and environmental damage to the Everglades, the Trump administration believes it will push people to self-deport.
Image credits: The White House
The Miccosukee Tribe, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Friends of the Everglades have filed a lawsuit over its construction, particularly over concerns that it will impact endangered species and tribal lands.
While the new facility will cost around $450 million per year, the cost will largely be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
that’s wild in itself. if it’s true, that person really tried to eat himself — what a heartbreaking situation. it’s a shame to try to deport someone who is clearly physically and mentally unwell, and/or just dump them elsewhere instead of offering help 😵💫. but honestly, what’s even more disturbing is the whole idea of the “detention” facility — especially that part where trump supposedly said the concept included escapees being scared of getting eaten by alligators. like… what?! how is that even a sentence in the real world.
Yeah, no way that story is 100% true. I miss the time when politicians lied about actual important things instead of just to placate dear leader.
that’s wild in itself. if it’s true, that person really tried to eat himself — what a heartbreaking situation. it’s a shame to try to deport someone who is clearly physically and mentally unwell, and/or just dump them elsewhere instead of offering help 😵💫. but honestly, what’s even more disturbing is the whole idea of the “detention” facility — especially that part where trump supposedly said the concept included escapees being scared of getting eaten by alligators. like… what?! how is that even a sentence in the real world.
Yeah, no way that story is 100% true. I miss the time when politicians lied about actual important things instead of just to placate dear leader.
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