DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has been one of the leading defenders of the federal immigration enforcement response in the U.S., including in Minneapolis following two fatal shootings by federal agents. After the killing of Renee Nicole Good, Noem supported the actions of federal officers, asserting that the individuals posed a threat to law enforcement.
Within weeks of the public outrage over Good’s death, ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot by federal agents in Minneapolis. Federal officials initially said Pretti confronted agents with a firearm during an attempted arrest, but video evidence and witness accounts have contradicted key elements of that narrative. Critics, including legal experts, have questioned early characterizations by Noem and other administration officials, who labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist” before investigations were complete.
In a news conference, Noem said, “When you perpetuate violence against a government because of ideological reasons and for reasons to resist and perpetuate violence, that is the definition of domestic terrorism.” However, those statements were made before a full inquiry and have been challenged by observers and legal analysts
Hannity: Why do you believe the term domestic terrorism is appropriate? You used it in both cases.
Noem: We are continuing to gather information and the FBI leading this investigation is important to make sure that we talk about both of these situations appropriately pic.twitter.com/B7kGoUDldw
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 30, 2026
She then added, “This individual who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers committed an act of domestic terrorism. That’s the facts.”
However, video footage has raised questions about Noem’s account, as it appears Pretti’s gun had already been taken. As a result, her characterization of the incident has been disputed. Regardless, Noem further stated, “An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun. The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently. Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots.”
She also claimed that Pretti had “two magazines with ammunition in them that held dozens of rounds,” adding, “This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.”
Despite Noem’s repeated characterization of Pretti as a domestic terrorist, opposing views have emerged. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said, “He wasn’t ‘brandishing a weapon’. He wasn’t attending a ‘riot’ or ‘interfering in a crime scene’. He was an ICU nurse exercising his constitutional rights. We saw what we saw.”
View this post on Instagram
U.S. Rep. Scott Peters called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation, saying, “Kristi Noem has got to go. And we must have independent investigations and end the militarization of our communities.” The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, following the earlier killing of Renée Nicole Good by federal agents in Minneapolis, has underscored rising unrest in Minnesota and intensified criticism of federal immigration enforcement.
Noem also criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of contributing to tensions in the state. She said, “The Minnesota governor and the Minneapolis mayor need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and our law enforcement officers.”
However, both Walz and Frey have urged citizens to engage in peaceful protest and to document federal agents when they believe the agents are acting outside legal bounds. Local leaders have noted that while many protests have remained peaceful, clashes with immigration agents including at times forceful enforcement actions have led to chaos and further tragedies.
