On January 6, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem directly responded to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on X after he criticized a federal immigration enforcement action involving ICE agents.
The exchange began when Governor Walz posted a video commenting on an arrest operation, stating: “Ridiculous. Nobody is fooled into thinking this bafoonery is a reasonable use of taxpayer dollars. It should not take 50 ICE agents to arrest one guy in a library.” His post included a video and referenced broader reports of federal agents being deployed for immigration enforcement.
Secretary Noem quoted Walz’s post in her reply, writing: “Really, you’re worried about taxpayer dollars? There’s been $9 billion stolen from the taxpayers in Minnesota since you became Governor. You won’t let us in Minnesota’s jails and there is rampant assault against our law enforcement thanks to vilification from politicians like you. So, yes, there’s strength in law enforcement numbers to remove these violent criminals from the communities you refuse to protect.”
Noem’s response highlighted concerns over alleged financial losses in Minnesota, restrictions on federal access to state jails, assaults on law enforcement officers, and the need for multiple agents during operations targeting individuals described as violent criminals.
The original post by Walz referenced ongoing federal immigration efforts, including reports of significant agent deployments to areas like Minneapolis. Noem, in her role overseeing the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized the rationale for using larger teams in such arrests.
