Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly put Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on notice that she must preserve her text messages as part of a high-profile battle in court.
According to Law & Crime, “On Friday, in an 8-page joint status report, DHS and transparency-focused watchdog group American Oversight drew a district judge’s attention to a government-issued notice demanding that certain officials ‘preserve documents and electronic records that relate to the subject matter of the complaint in this case’.”
According to the outlet, the government previously made an apology for an error made in this particular case, which seeks the text message of Noem and other top Trump officials.
“The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit was filed in October. The group alleges a DHS statement regarding ‘text message data’ about government business ‘generated after April 9, 2025, is no longer maintained’ and thus evinces a violation of the Federal Records Act (FRA),” the report states. “Earlier this month, DHS issued a mea culpa of sorts – saying technology changes resulted in both a ‘misunderstanding’ and ‘erroneous information’ being provided to American Oversight about the agency’s record retention capabilities and practices.”
Regarding the notice sent to Noem and other officials, the group that brought the lawsuit celebrated the action.
Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight, said, “Weeks after admitting it provided ‘erroneous’ information about whether Secretary Noem and other senior DHS officials’ text messages were saved, DHS has finally put these officials on notice to follow the law and properly preserve these records, which belong to the American people.”
“These messages may shed light on decisions that profoundly impacted the lives of real families’ futures, led to wrongful deportations, and put vulnerable communities at risk,” the group leader added in the statement. “The public deserves to know the truth about the government’s actions, and we will continue pressing for answers and transparency.”
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