U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of failing to protect residents and instead prioritizing criminals, as federal immigration operations intensified in the city following a fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
Noem made the remarks during a press conference in Minneapolis on Wednesday, where she defended the agent’s actions in the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, describing it as self-defense against an attempt to use a vehicle as a weapon.
“Because Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey refuse to protect Minnesotans — and instead they protect these criminals — that’s why we are here,” Noem said, attributing rising crime in the state to local policies.
The incident occurred at around 10:25 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday when ICE agents were conducting operations in adverse weather conditions. Noem said one vehicle became stuck in snow, and Good, who had allegedly been harassing agents throughout the day, blocked their path and refused commands to move.
According to Noem, Good then attempted to run over an officer, prompting the agent to fire in self-defense. The officer was treated at a hospital and released, she added.
Video footage of the event, however, showed Good’s vehicle reversing and then moving forward, turning away from the officer as shots were fired. It was unclear if the car made contact with the agent, who remained standing after the incident.
Frey dismissed the federal account as “bullshit,” stating he had viewed the video and calling the self-defense claim a “garbage narrative.”
Walz, who spoke with Noem by phone, urged the public not to believe the Department of Homeland Security’s “propaganda machine” and promised a full investigation for accountability.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the probe into the shooting, with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) withdrawing after being denied access to evidence and interviews.
Noem highlighted a surge in assaults on ICE agents, noting a 1,300% increase in attacks and an 8,000% rise in death threats. She said the same officer involved had been dragged by a vehicle in a prior incident in June 2025.
Federal operations in Minneapolis have led to over 1,500 arrests of individuals described as murderers, terrorists, child predators, and other criminals, according to Noem.
She blamed sanctuary policies under Walz and Frey for protecting criminals, citing a 50% increase in homicides in Minnesota and the release of over 470 violent offenders.
The shooting has sparked protests in Minneapolis and other cities, with demonstrators condemning federal actions. Walz placed the National Guard on alert amid fears of unrest.
In a separate incident on Thursday, a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Portland, Oregon, shot and wounded two people after alleging an attempt to use a vehicle as a weapon.
The events underscore tensions between the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and Democratic-led states and cities, with calls from local officials for federal agents to withdraw.
