Noem won't retract 'domestic terrorist' claim in first post-Minneapolis shooting testimony

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended her department's immigration enforcement actions on Tuesday as she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee — her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

In her opening statement, Noem credited President Donald Trump's leadership and Homeland Security personnel with what she described as historic results, including steep declines in border encounters, record-low apprehensions, and successful arrests and deportations.

"Thanks to President Trump's leadership and the hard work of the men and women of DHS, our department has delivered historic results and has made our community safer," Noem said. "Since the start of President Trump's second term, daily encounters along the southwest border declined by 96% compared to the Biden administration's daily average."

She also highlighted efforts to locate missing unaccompanied migrant children and curb drug trafficking, while warning that ICE officers are facing what she called an escalating threat, including sharp increases in death threats and assaults.

Additionally, Noem criticized Senate Democrats over the ongoing DHS funding impasse, saying the standoff is straining critical security missions and harming department employees. She thanked DHS staff for continuing their work during the dispute.

The latest Democrat-led shutdown of DHS is reckless,” Noem said. “It’s unnecessary, and it undermines the American national security, and it harms the men and women who work at DHS and their families.

On Jan. 7, ICE agents shot and killed the mother of three, Renee Good. On Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers fatally shot Alex Pretti, who was filming enforcement operations. The deaths sparked protests and renewed calls for oversight of DHS actions.

Noem and other administration officials initially described the shootings as defensive actions — a characterization sharply disputed by critics.

In an effort to tone down tensions, President Trump dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to oversee operations, who has since announced that Operation Metro Surge is coming to an end.

Noem said about 650 investigators remain in Minnesota as part of a broader fraud probe.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar pressed Noem to apologize to the families of Good and Pretti for repeatedly saying immigration officers were responding to domestic terrorism.

"When I spoke to Alex's parents, they told me that you calling him a domestic terrorist, this was directly from them, the day after he was killed, a nurse in our VA, Alex, one of the most hurtful things they could ever imagine was said by you about their son," Klobuchar said. "Do you have anything you want to say to Alex Pretti's parents?"

Noem responded by clarifying that she said "it appeared to be an incident of [domestic terrorism]."

At the time, Pretti's family said, "The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting."

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee’s top Democrat, in his opening statement, said DHS has been "devoid of any moral compass or respect for the rule of law, without hesitation or remorse."

He also repeatedly questioned Noem about the comments she made after the deaths of Good and Pretti that cast them as "domestic terrorists" and called on her to apologize.

Noem declined to do so and reiterated her condolences to the victims' families, saying she based her statements on chaotic information she received from the field.

“I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene, as you’ve seen in Minneapolis and St. Paul," she responded.

One Republican, Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, pushed her to explain why her department paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign she appeared in last year, encouraging migrants to leave the country voluntarily, and questioned whether Trump knew about the price tag ahead of time.

She defended those ads, saying they were effective and went through the regular department bidding process.

“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy said pointedly.

Supporters of the administration’s immigration crackdown were also present in the hearing room. Angel Moms — parents whose children were killed by people in the country illegally — attended in solidarity with Noem.

Last month, Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 22 “Angel Family Day,” marking the anniversary of the killing of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered while out for a run in 2024. A Venezuelan national, Jose Ibarra, was later convicted of her death.

______*Editor's note: *The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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