Photos: Secretary Kristi Noem visits Chicago’s Christmas Ship

December 6, 2025 by Chicago Tribune

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem makes an appearance as the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw stops at Polk Brothers Park on Chicago’s Lake Michigan. The Christmas trees are donated to local families in need.

A member of the United States Coast Guard picks up a Christmas tree to load into it into a truck before it was delivered to a local family in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — A member of the United States Coast Guard picks up a Christmas tree to load into it into a truck before it was delivered to a local family in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard unload Christmas trees to be delivered to local families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — Members of the U.S. Coast Guard unload Christmas trees to be delivered to local families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks to Coast Guard leaders and Christmas Tree ship organizers during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks to Coast Guard leaders and Christmas Tree ship organizers during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago's Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago’s Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Volunteers drop off Christmas trees that were unloaded from the USGC Mackinaw before they were delivered to families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — Volunteers drop off Christmas trees that were unloaded from the USGC Mackinaw before they were delivered to families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem carries a Christmas tree to load it into a truck during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park. The Christmas trees were later donated to local families in need. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem carries a Christmas tree to load it into a truck during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park. The Christmas trees were later donated to local families in need. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Protesters sing parody Christmas carols about U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago's Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — Protesters sing parody Christmas carols about U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago’s Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Protesters sing parody Christmas carols about U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago's Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — Protesters sing parody Christmas carols about U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park next to Chicago’s Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

A demonstrator is removed from Polk brothers Park after protesting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, near Chicago's Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — A demonstrator is removed from Polk brothers Park after protesting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s appearance at the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, near Chicago’s Lake Michigan. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

A Chicago Fire Department Helicopter flies over the USCGC Mackinaw before dropping a ceremonial wreath into Lake Michigan during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. The ceremonial wreath is dropped in the lake to honor the crew of the Rouse Simmons, a Christmas ship that sank in the lake while delivering Christmas trees in 1912. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — A Chicago Fire Department Helicopter flies over the USCGC Mackinaw before dropping a ceremonial wreath into Lake Michigan during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, USCGC Mackinaw, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. The ceremonial wreath is dropped in the lake to honor the crew of the Rouse Simmons, a Christmas ship that sank in the lake while delivering Christmas trees in 1912. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Volunteers drop off Christmas trees that were unloaded from the USGC Mackinaw before they were delivered to families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago's Christmas Ship, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune) — Volunteers drop off Christmas trees that were unloaded from the USGC Mackinaw before they were delivered to families in need during the 25th Anniversary Voyage of Chicago’s Christmas Ship, Dec. 6, 2025, at Polk Brothers Park in Chicago. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)