US Homeland Security sends hundreds more agents to Minneapolis as protests continue over a woman’s fatal shooting by an immigration officer
MINNEAPOLIS: US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said hundreds more federal agents were heading to the city on Sunday, brushing aside demands from its Democratic leaders for them to leave.
The deployment follows the fatal shooting of 37-year-old protester Renee Nicole Good by an immigration officer on Wednesday, which has sparked renewed nationwide protests.
In multiple TV interviews, Noem defended the officer’s actions, reiterating her claim that Good’s actions amounted to “domestic terrorism” and that the agent acted in self-defense.
Prominent Democratic officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have strongly disputed this narrative.
They say viral footage shows Good’s vehicle turning away from the agent and posing no threat.
“Why are we arguing with a president who’s working to keep people safe?” Noem said when pressed by CNN about her definitive statements while an investigation is ongoing.
Speaking to Fox News, Noem said the additional officers would allow immigration agents “that are working in Minneapolis to do so safely.”
She warned that protesters who “conduct violent activities against law enforcement” or “impede our operations” would be held accountable.
Confrontations between federal agents and protesters continued in the city on Sunday.
Officers were seen using pepper spray against people holding signs outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
Noem accused Democrats of encouraging violence and inflaming the public.
“They’ve extremely politicised and inappropriately talked about the situation on the ground in their city,” she told CNN.
Since Wednesday’s shooting, thousands have demonstrated, largely peacefully, in several cities across the country.
Democratic officials are critical that local authorities have been excluded from the investigation, which is being conducted by the FBI.
“It should be a neutral, unbiased investigation where you get the facts,” Mayor Frey told CNN.
He also described as legitimate activists’ actions to disrupt immigration enforcement operations.
“You need to enforce laws, of course, but there’s also a requirement that you carry out laws and carry out enforcement in a constitutional way,” Frey added.
On Sunday, agents were seen detaining people in residential areas as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
People were also seen laying flowers at makeshift memorials honouring Good
