Recap of Minnesota events so far

It’s been a busy day so far, so here’s a recap of things you should know about the ongoing situation in Minnesota:

Trump border czar Tom Homan has arrived in Minneapolis to take control of immigration enforcement efforts following the backlash to the deaths of protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.Homan admitted that “no agency is perfect,” following the two fatal shootings by federal agents, but said he would not be “surrendering the president’s mission.” Governor Tim Walz said he has spoken to Homan face-to-face, describing him as “professional.”Donald Trump concluded his first cabinet meeting of the year after almost 90 minutes without mentioning the situation in Minnesota once or taking questions.Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was not called on to give remarks in the meeting, following backlash against her handling of the situation in Minneapolis.Federal assault charges against Anthony Kazmierczak, the man who attacked Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar earlier this week, have been revealed. He faces one count for having “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated and officer and employee of the United States.”Read more

Mike Bedigan30 January 2026 04:42

Democrats say they’ve ‘seen enough’ from DHS, calls for Noem to be impeached

Democrats on the House Homeland Security committee have said that they’ve “seen enough” from the department they oversee and have called for Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.

Federal immigration agents in Minneapolis fatally shot Renee Good, a mother of three, and ICU nurse Alex Pretti in two separate incidents this month. The department has framed both shootings as self-defense.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 06:00

Kristi Noem reacts to video of Alex Pretti days before shooting

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has reacted to a video of Alex Pretti getting into a confrontation with federal agents days before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol in another confrontation.

“Well, clearly there’s a history there of attacking our law enforcement officers and our CBP [Customs and Border Protection] and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officers and that’s an example of what our officers have had to face every single day in Minneapolis and in Minnesota,” Noem told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night.

In the video, Pretti is seen kicking a government vehicle’s taillight before agents tackled him to the ground.

Steve Schleicher, an attorney for Pretti’s family, preivously told The Independent: “Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing.”

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 05:30

Hochul suggests Noem is delusional for Fox News comments

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has suggested Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is delusional after she went on Fox News and said “radicals” were “attacking” her for doing her job.

“These radicals are attacking me, but I’m just doing my job. I’m following the law, enforcing the laws like President Trump promised that he would do,” Noem told host Sean Hannity Thursday night.

Hochul’s press office responded to a clip of Noem’s comments on social media with the definition of the word delusion.

The New York governor has called for Noem to resign, arguing she has “forfeited her right to lead” after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents Min inneapolis this month.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 05:00

Another anti-ICE protest in Minnesota will take place Friday

Another economic blackout will take place in Minnesota on Friday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the state.

But, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune, it won’t have as big a turnout as the strike last Friday, which saw hundreds of businesses temporarily close.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 04:30

Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills after Trump said a deal was struck

The Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills to keep the government open, according to congressional reporters.

Trump announced on Truth Social earlier Thursday, “Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before).

“Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”

The Senate previously failed to advance a six-bill government funding package that the House already passed, as Democrats refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security following the two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 04:00

Trump calls border czar Tom Homan ‘terrific’

President Donald Trump called his border czar, Tom Homan, “terrific” at a screening for Melania Trump’s new film.

“I think he’s terrific, but we have to get rid of the criminals. We have to take criminals out of our country — so from that standpoint nothing’s going to change,” the president said Thursday.

Trump sent Homan to Minnesota after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month.

At a press conference in Minneapolis earlier Thursday, Homan said he’d be “staying ‘til the problem’s gone.”

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 03:30

When asked about her ‘domestic terrorism’ comments, Noem shifts blame to Biden

When Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night about her accusing Renee Good and Alex Pretti of “domestic terrorism,” she dodged the question and shifted blame to former President Joe Biden.

“People seem to be upset over the term domestic terrorism. Why do you believe that’s appropriate, because you used it in both cases?” Hannity said.

Noem replied, “We’re continuing to gather information, and the FBI leading this investigation is important to make sure that we talk about both these situations appropriately.”

“We’ll continue to get to the truth of all of this, but we can’t distract from the fact of how we got here,” Noem added. “We got here because we had a Biden administration that allowed an invasion over our southern border and allowed millions of people to come into our country unvetted.”

Good and Pretti, both U.S. citizens, were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month. No evidence has been provided to the public to back Noem’s claims that Good and Pretti were domestic terrorists.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 03:00

Kristi Noem defends comments on Alex Pretti shooting

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the information she shared about Alex Pretti immediately after the fatal shooting.

When asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night whether her comments were premature, Noem said she shared the “best information we had at the time.”

The secretary added that she was trying to be “transparent with the American people.”

In an X post last Saturday, the day Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents on the streets of Minneapolis, Noem said a person approached federal officers with a gun and that one of the agents fired “defensive shots” because he feared for his life.

Footage of the incident appeared to show an agent pulling a gun from Pretti’s waistband before any officer fired shots at him.

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 02:40

Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president

Melania went on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria to promote her new documentary, a film about the days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration, which comes out Friday.

Speaking to host Maria Bartiromo, Melania defended Trump, touting his job on immigration enforcement and saying that his critics simply aren’t listening to him.

“I saw one part of the film where you tell the president, ‘Be a unifier.’ We have such division in this country. What do you want him to do, in terms of being a unifier? How can he unite the country?” Bartiromo asked.

Melania replied, “I give him my advice, and we talk about that, and we could see that the country it’s divided and it’s very hard. No matter what he says, they don’t like to listen. And what’s going on in our country now, I feel that it’s a lot of pushback, and I hope it stops.”

Rachel Dobkin30 January 2026 02:20