ICE Confirms Arrest of Illegal Alien Linked to DHS’s Kristi Noem Robbery

A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the robbery involving Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secret Service announced on Sunday evening, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

The initial incident took place on Easter Sunday when Kristi Noem, dining with her children and grandchildren at a Washington, D.C., restaurant, had her Gucci handbag stolen.

The stolen bag reportedly contained $3,000 in cash, Noem’s passport, apartment keys, a Department of Homeland Security badge, and a $600 Louis Vuitton Clemence purse.

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The first suspect, 49-year-old Mario Bustamante Leiva, was arrested by D.C. Metropolitan Police on Saturday. Authorities identified Bustamante Leiva as an illegal alien.

BREAKING: A law enforcement source in D.C. has confirmed to me the man accused of stealing DHS Sec. Noem’s purse is Mario Bustamante Leiva. U.S. Attorney for D.C. Ed Martin has said the man is in the U.S. illegally.

A Daily Mail article from 2015 says Bustamante Leiva is Chilean… pic.twitter.com/6c1h6nPTsL

— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) April 27, 2025

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According to the Secret Service, the second suspect, also an illegal alien, was arrested early Sunday morning in Miami, Florida.

The arrest was conducted by agents from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with assistance from the Miami Beach Police Department and ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division.

The individual is believed to be a co-conspirator in a broader pattern of robberies and thefts in the Washington, D.C., area, including the incident involving Noem.

The Secret Service confirmed that the suspect is currently being held on an immigration detainer as charges are being finalized in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Statement:

Agents from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Miami, Florida, on Sunday arrested a second suspect linked to a pattern of robberies and thefts in Washington, D.C.

The individual is believed to be a co-conspirator in those incidents with the primary defendant who is accused of committing a robbery against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The arrest was made early Sunday with critical assistance from the Miami Beach Police Department and ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division.

Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service Miami Field Office announced the arrest.

“Public safety is strongest when built on trust and collaboration,” Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros said. “We are grateful to the Miami Beach Police Department for their swift and outstanding assistance in today’s apprehension. After receiving information from Washington, Miami Beach Police officers quickly implemented targeted patrols and located the defendant, who was taken into custody without incident.”

The suspect is currently being held on an immigration detainer as charges are finalized in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The defendant’s name will be released upon the filing of those charges.

JUST IN: A second suspect tied to a pattern of thefts & robberies in DC has been apprehended by @SecretService & @ICEgov, with outstanding assistance from @MiamiBeachPD. Details on both cases here https://t.co/Gp0NC3pq6S pic.twitter.com/BTuQdEY7Bn

— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) April 27, 2025

The name of the second defendant will be released once formal charges are filed.

The incident has raised renewed concerns about crime rates in Washington, D.C., and the impact of illegal immigration on public safety.

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