Minnesota ICE live: Trump insists immigration officers stay while Homan outlines plan to ‘draw down’ agents

When Trump was asked whether he was pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota, he said, ‘No, no. Not at all’

Tom Homan says 'no agency is perfect' as he does damage control in Minneapolis

President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that federal immigration agents are staying in Minnesota while his border czar, Tom Homan, outlined a plan to “draw down” agents.

Homan was sent to Minnesota earlier in the week following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, which saw Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino stand down earlier this week.

He made the argument on Thursday that if federal agents were given better access to local jails to arrest undocumented immigrants, then they would need “less agents in the street.”

"This is common-sense cooperation that allows us to draw down on the number of people we have here. Yes, I said it: draw down the number of people here because we have the efficiency, the safety of the jails and the prisons,” Homan said.

But when Trump was later asked whether he was pulling Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents out of Minnesota, the president said, “No, no. Not at all.”

Homan’s involvement in Minnesota comes amid ongoing backlash over the Trump administration’s handling of the second fatal shooting of an American at the hands of federal agents.

Key Points

• New video angles show federal agents shooting gas and fleeing after first Alex Pretti confrontation
• Trump says he's 'not' pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota 'at all'
• Trump hails deal with Democrats to avoid shutdown and fund DHS
• Noem confronted about 'domestic terrorism' comments

[30 January 2026 04:42 · Mike Bedigan]

Pinned

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.”

[30 January 2026 05:00 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.

Read on...

[30 January 2026 04:30 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.

[30 January 2026 04:00 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.

[30 January 2026 03:30 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.”

[30 January 2026 03:00 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.

[30 January 2026 02:40 · Rachel Dobkin]

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.

[30 January 2026 02:20 · Rachel Dobkin]

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

First lady Melania Trump wants to see the “pushback” against her husband stop as President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown causes tensions to rise across the country.

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.”

Read on...

[30 January 2026 02:00 · Associated Press]

White House and Democrats strike deal to prevent government shutdown

A provisional agreement has been struck between Democrats and the White House to avert a partial government shutdown, temporarily funding the Department of Homeland Security as negotiations intensify over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement.

The deal emerges as the nation grapples with the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis, reportedly at the hands of federal agents. The two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the broader legislative package, providing two weeks of funding for the DHS.

This temporary measure allows for continued debate over Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, following their vote to block DHS funding legislation on Thursday.

President Donald Trump stated in a social media post that "Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September," while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He urged members of both parties to cast a "much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote."

Read on...

[30 January 2026 01:44 · Rachel Dobkin]

Trump says he's 'not' pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota 'at all'

When Donald Trump was asked at a film screening for his wife Melania’s new documentary whether he was pulling Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents out of Minnesota, the president said, “No, no. Not at all.”