Leaked documents from the Department of Homeland Security reveal that ICE agents in Minneapolis received new safety guidance. They were also asked to find volunteers for additional deployments after an ICE officer shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good last week, as reported by journalist Ken Klippenstein.
Klippenstein published these documents on his Substack, including a memo that urged personnel to be cautious about operational security and officer safety when entering and leaving hotels. It advised employees to limit their online posts, turn off location settings, and make social media pages private.
The documents and related reporting highlighted growing concerns among agents assigned to the Twin Cities area following the January 7 shooting. This incident sparked several days of protests and drew closer scrutiny of DHS tactics in Minnesota.
One memo published by Klippenstein requested 300 additional personnel, which included 200 Border Patrol agents and 100 processing coordinators, to support what it called “Operation Metro Surge” by Sunday, January 11. Klippenstein also reported that the agency was looking for volunteers for the Minneapolis assignment.
A Border Patrol agent familiar with staffing discussions told Klippenstein that the push for volunteers showed uncertainty among the ranks after Good’s death and the subsequent protests. “We do have personnel but some just don’t want to go,” the agent said, according to Klippenstein’s report.
Klippenstein also noted that a senior official at DHS headquarters in Washington raised concerns about the operation’s direction. This official argued for de-escalation, mentioning that some officers felt the assignment was unusually tense compared to previous deployments. They worried that aggressive tactics and rhetoric could put personnel at risk.
You don’t get to change the facts because you don’t like them. What happened in Minneapolis was an act of domestic terrorism.
Acts of domestic terrorism like this should be condemned by every politician and elected official. It shouldn’t be hard or remotely controversial. pic.twitter.com/AmZLCyRiMo
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 11, 2026
Another agent linked the rising tensions to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, citing her early public description of the incident as “domestic terrorism.” This description has faced criticism and raised questions about how the department presented the shooting.
Good’s death happened during a federal enforcement action in Minneapolis. One of the videos shows officers surrounding her vehicle and trying to open her car door before she drove away. An officer fired, resulting in the SUV crashing into a parked car. The shooting has led to protests and political consequences both in Minnesota and beyond.
These leaked documents emerged as DHS increased its presence in the Minneapolis area. The Associated Press reported earlier this month that Homeland Security planned to send up to 2,000 agents and officers to Minnesota for what the agency described as a major immigration enforcement operation. Noem accompanied ICE officers during at least one arrest.
DHS has not publicly challenged the authenticity of the memos published by Klippenstein. Newsweek reported that it reached out to the White House and the Justice Department for comments related to federal actions and the Minnesota operation.
Klippenstein’s publication of the documents provides more context about the security measures surrounding the surge, which include steps to limit digital footprints and reduce the risk of personnel being identified while traveling to and from their accommodations.
