Kristi Noem, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Minister, said that all responsibility for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent's shooting of a civilian in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and for the way protests were policed, lies with "the Democratic governor and violent protesters."
According to the political news outlet Politico and others, on the 18th (local time) Noem Minister appeared on the CBS public affairs program Face the Nation and traded barbs throughout with anchor Margaret Brennan. The spark was the death of Rene Good in Minneapolis on the 7th. At the time, ICE agent Jonathan Ross opened fire at the protest scene at Good, who was driving a vehicle, killing the person.
When Brennan asked how the investigation was proceeding, Noem Minister remained defensive. Noem Minister said, "It's a fact that Good used a vehicle as a weapon and threatened the lives of law enforcement officers," arguing the agent's shooting was self-defense. When Brennan cited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as saying there were suspicions that the investigation into the federal agent who fired the gun was not being conducted properly, Noem Minister dismissed it, saying, "Gov. Walz's words are not worth listening to."
The tone turned hostile over the agent's personal details. When Brennan mentioned the name while asking about Ross's current condition, Noem Minister cut in, raising the voice and saying, "Please do not say that name." The person criticized the host, saying "doxxing" by protesters threatening the agent and family was serious. Brennan countered that it was "a name already made public by the press," but Noem Minister said it "should not be repeatedly mentioned" and refused to disclose even medical records.
There was also a battle over the truth of immigrant crime statistics. Noem Minister said, "Former President Joe Biden opened the border and 20 million unvetted people have flowed in," and claimed, "Seventy percent of immigrants currently in detention have criminal charges or convictions." When Brennan fact-checked by presenting DHS's own data and said, "The actual conviction rate is only 47%," Noem Minister turned fire on the media, saying, "You cherry-pick statistics and lie."
The situation on the ground in Minneapolis is worsening. Public anger is rising on social media as videos spread of ICE agents firing tear gas at a vehicle carrying six children and forcibly arresting a citizen en route to a hospital. Noem Minister also said, "That's because protesters blocked vehicle movement," arguing, "The mayor and governor are allowing violence, and innocent citizens are being harmed." The logic is that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Walz, both Democrats, are obstructing law enforcement.
Even regarding a federal court order banning the use of tear gas on protesters, Noem Minister called it "ridiculous" and made clear the intent to ignore it. The person suggested a continued hard-line response, saying, "Operations do not change because of a judge's order."
As the Trump second-term administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy leads to physical clashes on the ground, conflict between the federal government and state governments in Democratic strongholds is reaching a peak. Politico said, "The interview showed the deep rift between the White House, the press, and local governments over immigration policy."