DHS Secretary Noem defends Trump immigration enforcement amid criticism

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Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem deployed to the northern and southern borders in a single day this week because the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement throughout the nation. Regardless of elevated criticism following the shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota, Noem advised Fox Information Digital that the division wouldn't be deterred by sanctuary politicians from doing the work of getting harmful unlawful aliens off the streets.

"I believe individuals would need much less battle," Noem advised Fox Information Digital in an unique interview in Nogales, Ariz., this week. "In addition they wish to know that we're imposing our legal guidelines and that we're going after harmful criminals. And so they don't need them to be launched on the streets to perpetuate extra crimes. So we'll proceed to do our work and observe via on what President Trump promised."

"We can't be deterred by native elected officers that simply wish to create battle," the secretary added. "We’re going to proceed to guard the American individuals and ensure that we have now the chance to go after these harmful unlawful aliens and take away them."

The secretary's remarks come as border czar Tom Homan introduced an instantaneous drawdown of 700 personnel from Minnesota, efficient Wednesday. Homan cited improved cooperation with the jails, although 2,000 officers will nonetheless stay within the state. Homan pressured {that a} full drawdown was the aim however mentioned that was "contingent upon the top of unlawful and threatening actions in opposition to ICE."

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Anti-ICE agitators in Minnesota have been concentrating on road enforcement operations and demonstrations have escalated within the wake of the shootings of Good and Pretti. Good was killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent throughout a confrontation on Jan. 7, and Pretti was shot by Border Patrol brokers on Jan. 24 throughout an enforcement operation.

As Minnesota management has demanded federal immigration authorities depart the state, Noem painted the crackdown on unlawful immigration as one geared toward defending People, not creating political conflicts.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visits Eagle Cross, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox Information Digital)

President Donald Trump rejected calls to fireside Noem whereas addressing the Nationwide Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. He cited the "strongest border within the historical past of our nation" in defending the secretary.

Whereas talking with Fox Information Digital in Nogales, a metropolis that's situated simply over the U.S.-Mexico border, Noem pointed on the rhetoric coming from state management as a catalyst behind the intensifying resistance from the general public in Minnesota. Noem additionally mentioned that the operations in cities with cooperative officers have gone over smoother, providing Memphis, Tenn., for instance.

"Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Twin Cities, have a chance to do the identical factor that Memphis did. There we had a Democrat mayor who labored with us. It was about the identical dimension a metropolis, about the identical quantity of federal regulation enforcement officers have been there, and we dramatically lower crime and homicide charges and partnered properly collectively," Noem mentioned.

"It would not need to be this manner. And the best way that it has been in Minneapolis is basically as a result of rhetoric and the actions of the management there as a result of they will not associate with the federal authorities to implement the regulation," she added.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and retired Col. Michael Gorby, of the Texas Nationwide Guard, have a look at earlier than and after pictures in Eagle Cross, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Noem assessed progress made since taking up the company a yr in the past. (Kat Ramirez for Fox Information Digital)

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are among the many most vocal critics of the Trump administration's techniques.

Noem advised Fox Information Digital that she believes Homan is "working" to get native officers "to return to the desk and work with us," significantly on investigations of alleged fraud schemes tied to the Somali group. The secretary alleged that Walz and Frey "have perpetuated and allowed fraud to an unprecedented quantity in Minneapolis."

"Tens of billions of {dollars} [were] stolen from the American individuals and from susceptible individuals who wanted these providers and allowed to enter criminals' pockets. So, in fact, they do not need any regulation enforcement there," Noem mentioned, including that Walz and Frey have been allegedly aiming to dam Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) investigators from "attending to the underside of how widespread that fraud was."

Fox Information Digital reached out to Walz and Frey for remark.

Noem mentioned the Trump administration’s method displays what she says People need: much less crime and more law enforcement .

"Every single day we're discovering terrorists and eradicating them from our nation, defending our our cybersecurity programs, our crucial infrastructure," she mentioned.

From left to proper, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem and Del Rio Sector Chief Anthony "Scott" Good assess progress made at Eagle Cross, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox Information Digital)

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Noem mentioned the individuals in Nogales have been "thrilled" with the outcomes of the administration's immigration crackdown, saying locals obtained "their lifestyle again." She added that former President Joe Biden's insurance policies have been "devastating" for the realm.

Noem additionally spoke about DHS's efforts to block drugs from flowing via the nation, one thing she mentioned was a "disaster" below Biden.

"Properly, we're right here in Nogales, which below Joe Biden's insurance policies, was a humanitarian disaster. In actual fact, via right here was properly referred to as a big drug trafficking space. They've a freeway close to right here that's named 'Cocaine Freeway' as a result of the cartels moved a lot medicine via right here that was killing off the subsequent technology of People," the secretary mentioned.

From left to proper, Paul Perez, president of the Nationwide Border Patrol Council, Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem assess progress made at Eagle Cross, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox Information Digital)

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Regardless of mounting criticism, Noem touted the division's accomplishments, together with the massive numbers of deportations, each ones carried out by regulation enforcement and ones that occurred via "self-deportation." She famous that the administration was incentivizing extra self deportations by providing free flights and $2,600 funds.

Noem additionally touched with regards to DHS funding, which has been a supply of pressure between Democrats and Republicans. The talk over funding the division has the potential to spark one other authorities shutdown. The secretary advised Fox Information Digital that simply 11% of the DHS funds is allotted to ICE, whereas the remainder goes to FEMA, TSA and different businesses below the division.

Regardless of the continued preventing over the funding, Noem mentioned she is "hopeful" that Congress will acknowledge that DHS funding goes to greater than immigration enforcement and that the invoice could be handed "rapidly."