U.S. Minnesota Officials Politicize ICE Shooting Probe, Says Noem
Speaking to media, Noem took aim at state and local leadership over their handling of the incident. "I would say that these locals, if you look at what (Minnesota) Gov. (Tim) Walz has said and (Minneapolis) Mayor (Jacob) Frey has said, they've extremely politicized and inappropriately talked about the situation on the ground in their city," Noem stated when questioned about Justice Department coordination with Minnesota investigators.
The investigation hit a major roadblock Thursday when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced it was pulling out. According to the BCA, the withdrawal came "reluctantly" after the US Attorney's Office abruptly shifted course, handing the FBI exclusive control and blocking BCA investigators from accessing crucial case files, physical evidence from the scene, and witness interviews.
Noem escalated her accusations further, claiming demonstrators have received systematic training in dangerous tactics. "All of these times you see these rioters out there doing that—they've been trained to do that; they know they are training them to break the law," she declared on a news channel, alleging protesters are being coached to weaponize vehicles and obstruct traffic.
White House border czar Tom Homan defended the ICE agent's actions during an interview, asserting the officer believed he "did the right thing" and acted within federal legal parameters.
"We gotta stop the hateful rhetoric. Saying this officer is a murderer is dangerous. It's just ridiculous," Homan said. "It's gonna infuriate people more, which means there's gonna be more incidents like this."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker offered a starkly different perspective in his interview, labeling the Minneapolis incident a "tragedy" and pointing to a pattern of ICE-involved shootings nationwide that resulted in no criminal charges.
"This is why I have said that the (US) president (Donald Trump) is not following the law. Why Kristi Noem needs to resign or be impeached, and why (Homeland Security Department spokesperson) Tricia McLaughlin should not have the job that she has. She's a pathological liar. She's their spokesperson," Pritzker said.
US Rep. Robin Kelly escalated the political stakes Wednesday by announcing impeachment plans targeting Noem.
The controversy centers on Wednesday's fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, 37, by an ICE officer in Minnesota amid intensified immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration.
Trump administration representatives maintain the shooting constituted justified self-defense, a characterization local authorities have categorically disputed.
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