Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration’s immigration efforts in Minnesota on Sunday and dismissed a federal judge’s order that limited some enforcement tactics. She stated it “didn’t change anything” about how agents are working.
“These law enforcement officers are out there every day protecting the American people. They will keep doing that because they believe in enforcing the law, which is exactly what President Trump has assigned them to do,” Noem said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
A federal judge prohibited federal law enforcement from using pepper spray or nonlethal munitions on peaceful protesters as demonstrations continue in the Minneapolis area. The judge also blocked federal agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers without “reasonable articulable suspicion” that they are interfering with law enforcement operations during protests.
On Sunday, Noem described the order as “a little ridiculous.”
“We only use those chemical agents when violence is happening. You need to establish law and order to keep people safe,” Noem said. “That judge’s order hasn’t changed anything about how we operate on the ground. It essentially tells us to do what we’ve already been doing.”
Thousands of federal agents have been sent to the Minneapolis area in recent weeks for immigration enforcement and to investigate fraud claims in the state. Federal law enforcement has faced accusations of using aggressive tactics during protests with demonstrators gathering in response to immigration actions and rising political tensions.
Noem stated that protesters and local leaders are responsible for violent incidents tied to the demonstrations. She referenced an incident where a couple and their six children were tear-gassed while driving home from basketball practice.
“That family got caught up in that situation because of violent protesters blocking law enforcement operations. They would have never faced that if those protesters had acted peacefully and law enforcement could do their job without threats,” Noem said.
Noem also criticized Minnesota’s Democratic leaders, blaming them for what she called disorder in the city.
“The mayor and the governor have allowed this violence to continue across Minneapolis,” Noem said, adding that it is “why more innocent people are affected throughout the city.”
The administration has faced new scrutiny and growing protests since an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month. The shooting has sparked demonstrations against ICE and raised questions from Democratic lawmakers about federal tactics in Minnesota.
Last week, Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee urged its Republican chair to call Noem and White House border adviser Tom Homan to testify. This request follows Democrats’ push for more information on the use of force, the extent of operations, and the criteria agents use when stopping or questioning individuals near demonstrations and enforcement sites.
During her appearance, Noem addressed the Good shooting directly, reiterating the administration’s account of the encounter and labeling the woman’s actions as a threat to an officer.
Noem claimed Good “weaponized her car and threatened the life of a law enforcement officer and those around him.” She noted that the woman had been “impeding law enforcement operations for quite some time before this incident.” While she called the death a “tragedy,” Noem stated the officer “relied on his training to defend his life and protect those around him.”
The judge’s order adds a legal loophole as the administration maintains its focus on Minnesota, but Noem’s remarks indicated that the White House does not plan to reduce operations.
The ruling also set a new standard federal agents must meet before stopping drivers and passengers near protests, a point likely to become crucial as demonstrations continue and as local officials and civil rights attorneys observe enforcement actions.
