Congressman Plays Gotcha With Kristi Noem Deporting Military Veterans, Loses

As Twitchy reported earlier, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified on Thursday before the House Homeland Security Committee, at which Rep. Bennie Thompson referred to the terrorist attack that left a National Guardsman dead as an "unfortunate accident."

Both Aaron Rupar and Acyn jumped on this video clip from the hearing, so you know they both thought that Noem got owned by Rep. Seth Magaziner of Rhode Island. Magaziner thought he had a real "gotcha" moment planned for Noem. After she denied deporting military veterans, Magaziner introduced a special guest joining via Zoom — a military veteran he claimed had been deported.

MAGAZINER: How many veterans have you deported?

NOEM: We haven't deported veterans

MAGAZINER: We are now joined on Zoom by a combat veteran you deported to Korea pic.twitter.com/oz8Epvf4I4
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 11, 2025

Magaziner: How many US military veterans have you deported?

Noem: Sir, we have not deported U.S. Citizens or military veterans.

Magaziner: We are joined on zoom by a gentleman who is army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989. Earlier… pic.twitter.com/yMEEre5Acc
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 11, 2025

The official X account of the Democratic Party also posted stills of Noem "caught in 4K."

And now, the rest of the story. Noem did not deport Sae Joon Park. Park self-deported.

The guy in this video-- Sae Joon Park-- was not deported by DHS.

He self-deported to Korea.

He had his green card revoked and was given a removal order in 2009 after spending three years in jail for felony drug possession and bail jumping.

He also spent five decades in… https://t.co/brvqJ7IqgO
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 11, 2025

Throughout his 20s and 30s, he battled a crack cocaine addiction. One night in New York, while meeting up with a dealer, police appeared and arrested Park. Later, he skipped one of his court hearings.
"I just couldn't stay clean," he said. "So finally when the judge told me, 'Don't come back into my court with the dirty urine,' which I knew I would, I got scared and I jumped bail."
Park was charged with possession of a controlled substance and bail jumping, which derailed his chances of naturalization or getting relief from a deportation order.
Park said for a long time, citizenship was not a priority because he did not fully grasp the consequences of remaining a noncitizen. Although the U.S. offers expedited naturalization for those who serve honorably in the U.S. military for at least one year, or a single day during wartime, Park was discharged before he had served 12 months and the invasion of Panama was not classified as a period of hostility.

"Which derailed his chances of naturalization or getting relief from a deportation order." Seems relevant.

Win/win as far as I’m concerned
— Spaceman Cometh (@spaceman_cometh) December 11, 2025

Noem was correct when she said she hadn't deported any military veterans. Magaziner's "gotcha" probably worked on the people in the hearing room, but thankfully, we have social media where we can fill in the rest of the story.

We thank Park for his service and wish him the best back in his home country.

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Editor’s Note: We voted for mass deportations, not mass amnesty. Help us continue to fight back against those trying to go against the will of the American people.

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