U.S. DHS Dispatches “Hundreds More” Federal Officers to Minnesota
"We're going to continue to surge resources to make sure that this abuse of government funds and government power no longer continues in Minnesota," Noem told media.
She indicated the additional deployment aims to safeguard ICE and Border Patrol personnel, with officers anticipated to reach the state Sunday and Monday.
The Trump administration had already sent nearly 2,000 supplemental federal agents to Minnesota earlier this week, with Attorney General Pam Bondi announcing Wednesday that her office had deployed prosecutors to bolster probes into suspected fraud within the state.
Noem further criticized Minnesota officials for politicizing the inquiry into Wednesday's fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Macklin Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
"I would say that these locals, if you look at what (Minnesota) Gov. (Tim) Walz has said and (Minneapolis) Mayor (Jacob) Frey has said, they've extremely politicized and inappropriately talked about the situation on the ground in their city," Noem told media when asked about the Justice Department's cooperation with Minnesota officials.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced Thursday it "reluctantly" withdrew from the investigation after the US Attorney's Office reversed course and granted the FBI sole leadership, cutting off BCA access to case materials, scene evidence, and investigative interviews.
Noem also leveled accusations against demonstrators, claiming they receive instruction in using vehicles as weapons and obstructing roadways. "All of these times you see these rioters out there doing that—they've been trained to do that; they know they are training them to break the law," she told media.
White House border czar Tom Homan said on NBC he believed the ICE officer thought he "did the right thing," adding that according to federal law, his response was legitimate.
"We gotta stop the hateful rhetoric. Saying this officer is a murderer is dangerous. It's just ridiculous," Homan said. "It's gonna infuriate people more, which means there's gonna be more incidents like this."
Illinois governor pushes for impeachment
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told media what happened in Minneapolis is a "tragedy," citing examples of other ICE shootings around the country where no charges were brought.
"This is why I have said that the (US) president (Donald Trump) is not following the law. Why Kristi Noem needs to resign or be impeached, and why (Homeland Security Department spokesperson) Tricia McLaughlin should not have the job that she has. She's a pathological liar. She's their spokesperson," Pritzker said.
US Rep. Robin Kelly announced Wednesday that she plans to impeach Noem.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith said she believes the US administration is trying to "cover up" the incident.
"I don't think that people here and around the country are believing it," she told media.
Protests continue nationwide
Demonstrations triggered by Good's shooting have persisted throughout the US, with protesters assembling in cities from Orlando to Pittsburgh and Lexington, Kentucky, according to media reports.
In Florida, crowds gathered in Orlando, while in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, people marched to the local ICE field office.
In Lexington, signs and flags filled the Fayette County courthouse square and across Tennessee, groups held a rally and marched about a mile in a show of solidarity.
ICE officer Jonathan Ross killed Good after the Trump administration stepped up immigration raids nationwide, including the recent surge in Minnesota.
Trump administration officials claim the shooting was a defensive action, while local officials have rejected that account.
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