• Department of Homeland Security will send hundreds of additional officers to Minneapolis on Sunday and Monday
• Deployment follows fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross during traffic confrontation Wednesday
• Secretary cites ongoing welfare fraud investigations and officer safety as primary justifications for surge

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (TDR) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Sunday that federal authorities will deploy hundreds of additional immigration enforcement personnel to Minnesota over the next two days, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s presence in the Twin Cities. The DHS secretary made the announcement during an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, confirming that reinforcements would arrive to support ongoing operations.

Federal Response to Public Safety Concerns

“We’re sending more officers today and tomorrow,” Noem told Bartiromo during the broadcast. “They’ll arrive, there’ll be hundreds more in order to allow our ICE and Border Patrol individuals that are working in Minneapolis to do so safely.”

The deployment comes as tensions have intensified following Wednesday’s fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by ICE officer Jonathan Ross during what federal officials described as a traffic confrontation. Video footage from the incident has sparked conflicting narratives between federal authorities and local officials about the circumstances surrounding Good’s death.

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called federal claims that Good attempted to run over the agent “bullshit,” citing video evidence showing her vehicle’s trajectory. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has demanded ICE withdraw from the city, characterizing the federal presence as designed to “generate fear, headlines and conflict.”

Protests Spread Across Multiple Cities

The shooting has triggered widespread demonstrations in Minneapolis and other cities including Los Angeles, Portland and New York. Thousands gathered at Powderhorn Park on Saturday for protests that Minneapolis police described as largely peaceful, though approximately 30 individuals were detained Friday evening during downtown demonstrations.

Federal agents deployed tear gas and pepper spray at protesters outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, where ICE operations are headquartered. Noem warned Sunday that individuals who “conduct violent activities against law enforcement” or “impede our operations” would face criminal consequences.

“If they conduct violent activities against law enforcement, if they impede our operations, that’s a crime, and we will hold them accountable to those consequences.”

Welfare Fraud Investigation Context

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When asked why the administration was taking an “aggressive” approach in Minnesota, Noem cited the state as “ground zero for stealing taxpayer dollars and protecting criminals.” The Trump administration has linked its Minnesota enforcement operations to ongoing welfare fraud investigations involving state social service programs.

The Department of Homeland Security had already deployed approximately 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area in what officials called the largest immigration enforcement operation ever conducted. This operation has focused partly on investigating allegations of fraud involving federal nutrition and pandemic aid programs.

Political Fallout and Investigation Disputes

The escalation has created jurisdictional tensions between federal and state authorities. Minnesota senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith have urged the Department of Justice to include the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the FBI’s investigation of Good’s death.

The Minnesota BCA withdrew from the investigation after federal authorities allegedly cut off access to scene evidence and interview materials, leaving the FBI as the sole investigating agency.

Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of six-year-old, was described by family members as a writer and poet. An online fundraiser for her family raised more than $1.5 million before closing Thursday.

Federal officials have defended Ross’s actions, with President Trump claiming Good “ran over” the agent and Vice President JD Vance calling her a “deranged leftist” who was weaponizing her vehicle. Local officials and eyewitnesses have disputed these characterizations based on available video evidence.

With hundreds more federal agents arriving in Minneapolis this weekend, will the increased presence reduce tensions or further inflame an already volatile situation?

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