Kristi Noem’s Coast Guard directives spark internal strain, and search-and-rescue is no longer top priority

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s directives have created strain within the U.S. Coast Guard, with search-and-rescue operations reportedly downgraded in favor of migrant deportation flights. As reported by NBC News, the shift has unsettled senior officials who say the branch’s traditional mission is being sidelined.

Officials familiar with new guidance at Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento said the unit’s primary focus is now transporting detained immigrants on C-27 aircraft within the United States. Search-and-rescue is reportedly prioritized below counternarcotics operations and routine training. Coast Guard data show flights carrying migrants increased from 14 in June last year to 149 in November, with one official saying the push to meet deportation quotas is placing significant strain on aviation units.

Tensions surfaced early in Noem’s tenure. Soon after her confirmation in February 2025, a 23-year-old Coast Guardsman went overboard in the Pacific Ocean. During the search effort, Noem allegedly directed Acting Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday to pull a C-130 aircraft from the mission so it could be used for a scheduled migrant flight tied to DHS Alien Expulsion Operations.

Mission priorities and leadership clashes intensify internal concerns

Regional command in San Diego arranged for two alternative C-27 aircraft to handle the migrant transport, allowing the C-130 to return to the search roughly an hour later. The search for the missing service member ultimately failed, and it remains unclear whether the temporary reassignment affected the outcome. A former Coast Guard official told NBC News that elevating border security above search-and-rescue marks a cultural shift the service has not fully absorbed.

The internal atmosphere at headquarters has reportedly deteriorated, with senior officials expressing concern that core responsibilities are being displaced. Recent tech coverage has also focused on the Discord age verification partner.

In May, tensions escalated during an incident involving Noem’s adviser Corey Lewandowski. According to NBC News, Lewandowski berated Coast Guard flight staff after an aircraft departed without one of the secretary’s personal items, a heated blanket stored on board. When he allegedly ordered the pilot to turn the plane around and declared him relieved of duty, the pilot responded that doing so would require landing immediately to secure a replacement, prompting Lewandowski to back down.

Noem has also sought to replace the standard aircraft used by the Homeland Security secretary with two new Gulfstream jets at a reported cost of $170 million. Some Coast Guard officials questioned the expense, and Democrats in Congress criticized the move, arguing mission requirements should take precedence over personal travel preferences. Separate reporting has highlighted Spain’s child safety probe.

A DHS spokesperson denied that any formal guidance prioritized migrant transport over search-and-rescue, calling the premise “incorrect” and dismissing the reporting as politically motivated. President Trump publicly defended Noem, saying she is doing a “very good job” on border enforcement and suggesting criticism may stem from public relations challenges.