Noem defends Minnesota ICE operations, says judge's order "didn't change anything"

[0:00] We go now to Castlewood, South Dakota, and Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem. [0:05] Good morning to you, Madam Secretary. [0:09] Good morning. [0:10] DHS calls this the largest operation in its history, nearly 3,000 federal agents out there. [0:17] Is this an open-ended deployment, or is there a metric for success that ends it? [0:24] Well, I think every day we get a murderer off the streets of Minneapolis. [0:27] The public is safer, and President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people. [0:31] And we literally have arrested and detained thousands of illegal criminals in Minnesota [0:38] since President Trump came back into the White House. [0:40] And I've never met a family that ever said, oh, I wish you would have left that rapist free. [0:44] I wish you would have left that murderer on the streets. [0:46] So we're just so thankful that we have a president that's upholding the law [0:49] and is determined to make sure that the laws are applied equally to everyone. [0:54] According to Pew, Minnesota's population of immigrants here illegally stands at 2.2 percent. [1:00] So how do you judge when you've gotten everyone off the streets that you say is requiring your federal agents be there? [1:08] How do you say we've had mission accomplished? [1:13] Well, we won't stop until we are sure that all the dangerous people are picked up, [1:17] brought to justice, and then deported back to their home countries. [1:20] We wouldn't be in this situation if Joe Biden hadn't allowed our open border policies to be in place [1:28] and allowed up to 20 million people unvetted into this country. [1:32] We have no idea how many dangerous people are here. [1:35] When you have millions of people coming in that are terrorists, suspected terrorists, [1:39] criminals come from countries in the mass migration that the Biden administration facilitated, [1:45] I can't tell the people of Minnesota exactly how many dangerous criminals they have. [1:50] I do know that they're extremely grateful every time we get a pedophile off the street. [1:55] We arrested an individual this week that was raping children. [1:59] I think those parents in Minnesota can sleep better at night knowing that that person isn't free. [2:03] Sure. [2:04] But you just said millions. [2:05] What's the breakdown of the percentage of those who you have in custody [2:08] who have actually committed a criminal offense versus just the civil infraction? [2:14] Every single individual has committed a crime, [2:17] but 70 percent of them have committed or have charges against them on violent crimes [2:23] and crimes that they are charged with or have been convicted of [2:26] that have come from other countries that are here illegally, first of all, [2:29] and then they have committed a criminal act while they've been here [2:32] or in their home countries as well. [2:34] It's not 70 percent. [2:37] Yes, it is. [2:38] It absolutely is. [2:39] 70 percent of everyone you have detained has... [2:41] You guys keep changing your percentage. [2:43] You pick and choose what numbers you think work, [2:45] but that is the facts, is that 70 percent of the people that we have detained [2:49] have charges against them or have been convicted of charges, [2:53] and they need to be brought to justice. [2:55] And we're going to keep doing that no matter how much you guys keep lying [2:58] and don't tell the public the truth. [3:00] It absolutely is that these law enforcement officers are out there every day [3:03] doing the work to protect the American people, [3:06] and they will keep doing that because they believe in enforcing the law, [3:09] which is exactly what President Trump has charged them with. [3:13] Okay. [3:13] Well, our reporting is that 47 percent, based on your agency's own numbers, [3:18] 47 percent have criminal convictions against them. [3:21] But let's talk about the other numbers. [3:22] Which means you're wrong again. [3:23] Absolutely. [3:24] We'll get you the correct numbers so you can use them in the future. [3:27] Well, that's from your agency. [3:28] Let's talk about our numbers here at CBS. [3:30] Fifty-four percent of Americans think the ICE agent shooting of Renee Goode was not justified. [3:35] Sixty percent say the Trump administration responded to the ICE agent's actions unfairly. [3:41] These numbers show you do not have the American public on your side. [3:46] Does that concern you? [3:47] Well, the facts are that this individual weaponized her car [3:54] and threatened the life of the law enforcement officer and those around him. [3:58] And that is what the media needs to cover. [4:00] People understand is the truth when they have the chance to hear the facts around the case. [4:04] And this individual was impeding law enforcement operations for quite some time before this incident happened. [4:12] It's a tragedy that this situation has happened in this country. [4:16] And we hope there's never another situation like this before. [4:19] But this officer relied on his training to defend his life and to defend those around him. [4:25] And we're grateful that we're in a situation where we hope that more people don't weaponize their vehicles like this. [4:32] We're seeing it happen over and over again. [4:34] We've seen over 100 different vehicle weaponized and attacking law enforcement officers. [4:40] I would hope that Mayor Frye, when he's on here, that he'll announce that he's going to start working with us to bring safety to the streets. [4:46] If he would set up a peaceful protest zone so that these individuals can exercise their First Amendment rights and do so peacefully, [4:53] we would love that because then we could work together to make sure we're getting criminals to justice [4:58] and letting people still express their First Amendment rights. [5:01] Well, you know that it is in dispute about weaponizing a car versus driving forward. [5:06] But I'll put that aside. [5:08] No, it's really not. [5:08] Everybody can watch the videos and see that. [5:10] Well, let me talk to you about the officer, Jonathan Ross. [5:13] He was struck. [5:14] He was hospitalized. [5:15] Don't say his name. [5:16] I mean, for heaven's sakes, we shouldn't have people continue to dox law enforcement when they have an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. [5:25] I know, but that doesn't mean it should continue to be said. [5:27] His life, he got attacked with a car that was trying to take his life, and then people have attacked him and his family, and they are in jeopardy. [5:36] And we have law enforcement officers every day who are getting death threats and getting attacked at their hotels. [5:42] Well, can you tell me about his status right now? [5:43] Well, of course, no one condones violence against anyone. [5:49] But here, CBS reported that he did have internal bleeding in the torso, but he was released that same day. [5:54] So is he back at work? [5:55] Did you give him the required three days of suspension? [5:58] We followed the exact same protocols that we always have for years as to investigations into these situations. [6:06] Three days of administrative leave? [6:06] I'm not going to talk about his medical records. [6:08] I know that you know that in itself is his prerogative to discuss his health. [6:14] But we're hopeful that all of our law enforcement officers know that they can go out and do their job, apply the law equally to everyone, [6:21] and that they can do so safely, and that the media and people aren't going to attack them for standing up for what's right. [6:27] I'm asking you about your policies. [6:29] I asked you if you had put him on administrative leave. [6:33] This is in question because the governor of Minnesota said the only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Goode [6:39] is the federal agent who shot her. [6:41] Is he correct that the federal agent is not being investigated in any way? [6:46] Is there any review of protocol here? [6:49] We are following the exact same investigative and review process that we always have under ICE [6:57] and under the Department of Homeland Security and within the administration. [7:00] The exact same policy that the Biden administration used. [7:03] So his actions are being reviewed? [7:04] We haven't changed any of that. [7:06] I would not listen to Governor Walz. [7:08] He has a very bad track record. [7:10] All this billions of dollars of fraud was stolen from people under his watch. [7:15] He allowed it to happen, and he also ignored the law and allowed the city of Minneapolis to burn down in 2020. [7:21] He certainly isn't to have good judgment in these types of situations, [7:25] and I'm not going to be taking any advice from him on how we implement the law and protect people. [7:29] Do I understand you saying that the Office of Professional Responsibility is doing its own probe [7:34] to determine that the ICE agent violated protocol and that he was on three days of administrative leave [7:39] because that is what is in the handbook? [7:40] The protocol and the advice and the guidance within that handbook and within our policies [7:48] is being followed exactly like it has been for years. [7:51] Okay. [7:51] So there is some review of his actions is what I understand you saying there. [7:56] Margaret, there always is. [7:58] Every law enforcement officer knows that. [7:59] When they take the oath to step up and to protect the public and put their lives on the line, [8:04] they absolutely know that everything that they do will be analyzed and investigated. [8:10] But also what I don't think they realized until just recently is how the liberals and the Democrats [8:16] and the media would attack them and try to ruin their lives for doing what's right. [8:20] And we're seeing in Minneapolis an unprecedented fraud history going on by elected leaders [8:26] and individuals in that state, but also criminal activity, and it's being allowed to happen. [8:30] And when we did these operations in other cities across the country, we didn't see this kind of violence. [8:35] We didn't see organized, funded protesters come in to conduct acts of violence against our law enforcement officers. [8:42] Let's talk about that. [8:43] Like we're seeing in Minneapolis. [8:43] The elected leaders and Mayor Frey is allowing that to happen and allowing this kind of violence to happen [8:50] when we didn't see it in Louisiana, we didn't see it in Florida, we didn't see it in other cities. [8:54] We will talk to Frey about what's happening in his city. [8:55] And we shouldn't have to be watching it here in Minneapolis. [8:57] But we have heard, and I'm asking you here about the security of your agents that you say you are concerned about. [9:03] The local police chief said your agents are being forced into situations out in Minneapolis [9:08] that they're not prepared to deal with. [9:11] And we looked, and the government accountability office said back in 2021, [9:15] most ICE agents are not trained to handle crowd control. [9:19] So, are you looking at expanding the training for the agents that you are putting in this situation [9:25] that you describe as dangerous out in Minneapolis? [9:27] They are absolutely trained for the situations that they're put in. [9:32] We would never put an officer in a situation that they would be beyond their training and skill set. [9:38] And so these are highly trained individuals that are here and in Minneapolis doing operations they are. [9:44] And frankly, the Minneapolis chief of police is not an expert. [9:47] Absolutely, they are trained to that. [9:49] Their specialized skill set is being utilized for where they are located [9:53] and the jobs that they are doing in Minneapolis and across other cities across the country. [9:58] We do. [9:59] They have an incredible amount of training that is ongoing throughout their careers. [10:03] Do you want to expand that? [10:04] In crowd control, in handling enforcement operations that they have. [10:08] Do I want to expand it based on the Minneapolis police chief's advice? [10:11] Well, some Republican lawmakers have called for that. [10:14] If you remember, well, Republican lawmakers and Democrat lawmakers, [10:19] they absolutely can continue to debate. [10:21] That's what they're supposed to do is work on policy and pass laws. [10:25] What I know is that under the Department of Homeland Security [10:27] has always been entrusted with training our federal law enforcement officers. [10:32] We do it for many different agencies. [10:34] We train those within the ATF, the DEA. [10:37] We train those that are established across the country. [10:40] We are the largest law enforcement operation and department in the government [10:44] beyond the Department of War. [10:45] And we're proud of that. [10:46] And we've done it with excellence for years [10:48] and are continuing to put the resources and people into our law enforcement officers. [10:52] They need to change and to challenge these situations they're facing on the ground. [10:57] Yeah, but you've described this situation as unique. [11:00] You've acknowledged that. [11:01] I want to talk to you about some of the incidents that the public has seen. [11:05] There was a U.S. citizen, Aliyah Rahman, on her way to a medical appointment out in Minneapolis. [11:10] She was dragged out of her car and detained. [11:13] Video of her arrest was spreading on social media. [11:16] There were allegations there of aggressive tactics. [11:19] You've seen other incidents, for example, out in Minneapolis. [11:23] This family with six children with one as young as six months old [11:28] got kind of caught in the incident as they were driving to basketball practice. [11:33] The mother, Destiny Jackson, told CBS ICE agents stopped the car, told them to leave, [11:39] but the agents were in the way. [11:41] And they feared that they would have happened to them what happened to Renee Goode. [11:47] They didn't drive off. [11:48] ICE released a canister of tear gas. [11:51] And the mother described giving her infant CPR. [11:54] We're showing that video there. [11:56] Do any of these tactics seem to you heavy-handed? [11:59] The family was caught up in that situation because of violent protesters that were impeding law enforcement operations. [12:08] And that family would have never been in that situation if those protesters had been acting peacefully. [12:13] And law enforcement was able to do their job without being threatened. [12:17] And so it's a terrible situation that that family had to go through. [12:21] And I hope it never happens again. [12:23] But we need to remember that because the mayor and the governor have allowed this kind of violence to be perpetuated across Minneapolis [12:29] is why there's other innocent people that are impacted throughout the city but throughout their state as well. [12:37] And it doesn't have to be this way. [12:38] They get established a peaceful protest zone. [12:40] They could enforce their laws. [12:42] And if Governor Walz didn't recognize that what he is doing there is poor leadership, [12:47] he wouldn't have put his National Guard on standby in order to respond. [12:51] And I'm hopeful that he does recognize that he needs to start working with us. [12:55] I have asked him to. [12:56] I know the White House has asked him to. [12:59] Sorry, with the federal order on Friday to not use chemical agents. [13:04] That federal order was a little ridiculous because that federal judge came down and told us [13:10] we couldn't do what we already aren't doing. [13:12] We are we just saw a video of chemical agents being used. [13:16] We only use those chemical agents when there's violence happening and perpetuating [13:23] and you need to be able to establish law in order to keep people safe. [13:27] That's the only situation. [13:28] So that judge's order didn't change anything for how we're operating on the ground [13:32] because it's basically telling us to do what we've already been doing. [13:35] Madam Secretary, thank you for your time this morning.