3/6/2026 | USA | culture | ✓ Verified - variety.com

Jimmy Kimmel on Trump Firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: ‘The Funniest Thing Would Be If They Deport Her to El Salvador’

#Jimmy Kimmel #Donald Trump #Kristi Noem #Homeland Security #Deportation #Border Security #Political Scandal #Late Night TV

📌 Key Takeaways

Jimmy Kimmel mocked Kristi Noem's firing on his late-night show
Kimmel joked about deporting Noem to El Salvador
Noem was fired after multiple scandals including a $220M border ad campaign
The former Secretary falsely called Alex Pretti a 'domestic terrorist'

📖 Full Retelling

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made light of former President Donald Trump's decision to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday night's episode of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live,' mocking the embattled official who was dismissed following multiple controversies including her $220 million border security advertising campaign, multi-million dollar jet fleet expenses, relationship with aide Corey Lewandowski, and false characterization of Alex Pretti as a 'domestic terrorist.' Kimmel quipped that 'the funniest thing would be if they deport her to El Salvador,' highlighting the irony of a Homeland Security Secretary facing potential deportation herself. The late-night host's jokes came just hours after Trump announced Noem's termination, ending her tenure at the department amid mounting scandals that had raised questions about her judgment and use of taxpayer funds. Noem's controversies extended beyond the border advertising campaign that critics called a self-promotional stunt to include her management of department resources and controversial statements that drew widespread condemnation from immigrant rights groups and political opponents alike.

🏷️ Themes

Political Satire, Government Controversies, Immigration Policy

📚 Related People & Topics

Jimmy Kimmel

American TV host and comedian (born 1967)

James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American television host and comedian. He is best known as the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which has aired on ABC since 2003. Kimmel has hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards three times, in 2012, 2016 and 2020, and the Academy ...

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Homeland security

United States notion of safety from terrorism

An American national security policy, homeland security is "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" to the "national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within...

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Kristi Noem

American politician (born 1971)

Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( NOHM; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who is the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 33rd governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 and represented South Dakota's at-large congr...

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Deportation

Expulsion of a person or group from a place or country

Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people by a state from its sovereign territory. The actual definition changes depending on the place and context, and it also changes over time. A person who has been deported or is under sentence of deportation is called a deportee.

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Donald Trump

President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)

Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021. Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...

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