Trump Voices Support for Homeland Security Secretary Amid Border Policy Controversy
President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would continue in her position despite his decision to reorganize the leadership overseeing deportation operations in Minnesota. This move comes in response to widespread public outcry following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents.
Public Confidence and Leadership Changes
"I think she's doing a very good job," Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Iowa. "The border is totally secure." This public endorsement arrived one day after the president ordered a significant shakeup in the aftermath of the January 24 shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent during an enforcement operation.
Trump's decision to dispatch border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis effectively replaced Greg Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol commander who had become the face of the contentious immigration crackdown in the city. This action spurred widespread speculation that the president might be frustrated with how his deportation efforts are being executed and perceived by the public.
Investigations and Public Reaction
Pretti's death occurred just weeks after the January 7 killing of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and Minneapolis mother of three, by an ICE agent during a similar operation in a residential neighborhood. Initial statements by administration officials drew bipartisan criticism. Secretary Noem had suggested Pretti appeared to "impede a law enforcement operation," while senior adviser Stephen Miller intimated on social media that Pretti was an "assassin" and "domestic terrorist."
Available video of the incident did not show Pretti brandishing the firearm he was legally carrying and indicated that officers had disarmed him before shooting him repeatedly. On Tuesday, Trump notably declined to say whether the Pretti shooting was justified. "We're doing a big investigation," he stated. "I want to see the investigation. I'm going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself." He added, "You can't walk in with guns, you can't do that," calling the killing "a very unfortunate incident."
Political and Economic Implications
Public opinion polls reveal increasing discomfort with the administration's tactics, even among voters who broadly support immigration enforcement. Nearly half of Americans in a recent Politico poll said the deportation campaign was too aggressive, and one in three Trump voters expressed support for the goal but disapproval of its implementation.
Business leaders in Minnesota, including executives from Target Corp. and Best Buy Co. Inc., have joined calls for de-escalation, warning that federal operations were damaging worker morale and the state's economic stability. Silicon Valley executives have also criticized ICE. In Washington, Senate Democrats have threatened to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless restrictions are placed on enforcement operations, raising the possibility of a partial government shutdown. Some Republicans are urging more restraint and a clearer immigration strategy from the administration.
Legal Challenges and Administrative Stability
Meanwhile, a judge in Minnesota has ordered the acting chief of ICE to appear in court on Friday to answer questions about the Trump administration's handling of bond hearings for detained immigrants. The judge noted that the administration has failed to comply with orders to hold such hearings, with Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz writing that this is "one of dozens of court orders with which respondents have failed to comply in recent weeks."
Despite these challenges, Trump and his inner circle have been reluctant to remove officials in his second term, following frequent firings and resignations during his first presidential stint. This appeared to remain the case on Tuesday, as the president drew some embattled administration officials closer. Secretary Noem and her top aide, Corey Lewandowski—the first campaign manager of Trump's 2016 presidential bid—met with the president Monday night for nearly two hours at the White House. Separately, Stephen Miller traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One to Iowa.
Seeking Compromise and Future Directions
Even as Trump aimed to calm internal tensions, he signaled a desire to find compromise with state and local officials. Homan was scheduled to meet with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. In a radio interview that aired Tuesday morning, Trump expressed hope to collaborate with them, stating, "All I said: just give us your criminals, and if you give us the criminals, it all goes away."
Trump's expression of support for Noem suggested he was not immediately looking to further disrupt his immigration team. However, he indicated satisfaction with the reaction to appointing Homan, a rival within the administration seen as more focused on targeted enforcement than broad street operations. "He's meeting with the governor, and he's meeting with the mayor, I think, later, and I hear that's all going very well," Trump said of Homan.
