June 17 (UPI) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is resting in a Washington, D.C., hospital after suffering an allergic reaction on Tuesday.

Noem, 53, suffered an allergic reaction that required an ambulance ride and hospitalization.

“Secretary Noem … was transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution,” DHS spokeswoman TriciaMcLaughlin told media.

Noem is “alert and recovering,” McLaughlin added without saying what caused the allergic reaction.

Secret Service agents were posted outside the hospital’s entrances.

Noem is the former governor of South Dakota and was nominated to President Donald Trump‘s cabinet after he took office in January. The Senate confirmed her in late January.

Noem has been instrumental in helping the Trump administration enforce federal immigration laws and last week was in Los Angeles during controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities there.

While speaking at a press event on ICE activities in Los Angeles on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., entered and began shouting a question for Noem, which prompted security to remove him from the press event.

Padilla afterward said he was not trying to upstage Noem, who met with him after the press event ended.

Trump had called up the California National Guard to protect federal buildings while ICE raids continue in Los Angeles, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deployed 700 Marines to help.

Noem also is in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which she has recommended be disbanded.

She says the agency is ineffective, and Trump has said he intends to dismantle FEMA following the current tropical storm season.