Meet the illegal aliens accused of stealing DHS Secretary Noem's purse

Two people arrested in connection with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's stolen purse are in the United States illegally and may be connected to a larger theft ring.

The first man arrested for the crime — which occurred when Noem was dining in Washington, D.C. — is Mario Bustamante-Leiva, who is originally from Chile. Before Leiva's name was reported, D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin told the media the suspect was in the U.S. illegally.

This is not the first time Leiva has been arrested for stealing items in restaurants. The Daily Mail reported in 2015 that Leiva was charged in London, England, for stealing almost $30,000 worth of phones, laptops, and wallets over the course of several months in 2014.

'Unfortunately, so many families in this country have been made victims by crime, and that’s why President Trump is working every single day to make America safe.'

"You are dishonest to your fingertips. Over a five-month period, you committed a series of thefts from the public, over that long period, to a total of some £21,000. ... I have no alternative but to order that you be sent to prison," the judge said when he sentenced Leiva.

It is unknown at this time how Leiva entered the U.S., but it is unlikely that he will be staying here much longer.

The second man arrested is Cristian Rodrigo Montecino-Sanzana, who is also from Chile, according to the New York Post. He was taken into custody in Miami on Sunday. Sanzana was released into the U.S. in early January 2021 despite being handed a notice of "expedited removal" due to a lawsuit which forced the federal government to release certain migrants with comorbidities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between Sanzana's arrest and Leiva's criminal history, officials believe the suspects were not carrying out the alleged thefts on their own.

Martin has said there is no evidence suggesting that Noem was targeted because she is part of the Trump administration.

"Thank you to [Secret Service and ICE] and our law enforcement partners for finding and arresting the criminal who stole my bag on Easter Sunday as I shared a meal with my family at a Washington DC restaurant. This individual is a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years," Noem said after the arrests.

"Unfortunately, so many families in this country have been made victims by crime, and that’s why President Trump is working every single day to make America safe and get these criminal aliens off of our streets," she added.

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