Speaker 1 (00:00):
… here in Minneapolis today. Any loss of life is a tragedy, and I think all of us can agree that in this situation it was preventable. I've spoken to the president today on the situation here on the ground. I also just got off the phone a little while ago with Governor Walz and spoke to him as well.
(00:16)
I want to reiterate first with all of you the facts of what happened today. At 10:25 AM Central Time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement were carrying out lawful operations here in Minneapolis. Because of the adverse weather that Minneapolis has seen and recent snow, one of the vehicles became stuck and ensnared in the snow. Law enforcement were attempting to push out this vehicle when a mob of agitators that were harassing them all day began blocking them in, shouting at them and impeding law enforcement operations.
(00:47)
ICE officers and agents approached the vehicle of the individual in question who was blocking the officers in with her vehicle and she had been stalking and impeding their work all throughout the day. ICE agents repeatedly ordered her to get out of the car and to stop obstructing law enforcement, but she refused to obey their commands. She then proceeded to weaponize her vehicle and she attempted to run a law enforcement officer over. This appears as an attempt to kill or to cause bodily harm to agents, an act of domestic terrorism. The ICE officer fearing for his life and the other officers around him and the safety of the public fired defensive shots. He used his training to save his own life and that of his colleagues. He was treated at a local hospital, has been released and is now with family.
(01:37)
I encourage the American people at this point in time to pray for him, but also, to pray for the deceased's family and her loved ones. Today alone in this country, there have been four different domestic terrorist attacks on federal officers by the ramming of vehicles. Three of them happened here in Minneapolis. We've seen over 100 of these vehicle rammings happen in just recent weeks, and this must stop.
(02:03)
ICE alone is facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats against all of them. In fact, the very same officer who was attacked today had previously been dragged by an anti-ICE rioter who had rammed him with a car and drug him back in June. He sustained injuries at that time as well.
(02:26)
And let me remind you why we're all here in this city today and why we've been here. In communities across this country and here in Minneapolis, we're just enforcing the laws that we have in this country. For years under President Biden, tens of millions of dangerous criminal illegal aliens, terrorists and suspected terrorists were allowed to invade our country over our Southern Border. They were allowed to steal, to defraud, and to perpetuate violence against American citizens. Regardless of who your mayor or who your governor is, President Trump promised every single American that he would make America safe again. He promised every single American that he would work to protect them from dangerous criminals.
(03:08)
Since Governor Walz has been in charge of Minnesota, we have seen homicides go up by over 50%. That's also during Mayor Frey's tenure as well. Since President Trump took office, Governor Walz has released over 470 violent criminals back onto the streets here in Minneapolis. He has another 680 of them still within his jurisdiction that he could give to us today to face the consequences for their crimes. Because Governor Walz and Mayor Frey refused to protect Minnesotans, and instead they protect these criminals, that's why we are here. And we didn't just show up yesterday, we've always been here. But we're surging operations because of the dangerous situation we see in this country and because we're no longer going to allow illegal criminals to damage and harm, to kill, to sexually abuse, to proliferate drugs and to steal American taxpayers' dollars.
(04:02)
This state has faced unprecedented immigration fraud. It's seen unprecedented benefit fraud. Individuals were allowed to come into this country and set up fake companies and fake nonprofits and divert billions of dollars away from American citizens and those vulnerable citizens who truly needed the services from those programs. This city has burned before, and your mayor and your governor let it happen. President Trump is not going to let that happen. He and our federal law enforcement officers are here to bring peace and to bring public safety and to ensure that criminal activity is stopped and that people who perpetuate it will face consequences.
(04:44)
Since we have been here in recent weeks, we have arrested over 1,500 criminals off of the streets. Our law enforcement has arrested murderers, known and suspected terrorists, child pedophiles, and other brutal criminals that were protected here in this city. We should all work together to protect our citizens. We should all protect the men and the women and the families who live here in Minneapolis, who live in Minnesota and live throughout this entire country.
(05:12)
I want to thank you for being here and I want to thank you for focusing on the important work that our federal officers do and make sure that we're focused on the priorities of this country, and that's making sure that we're keeping people safe.
(05:24)
With that, I'll take any questions that you may have.
Speaker 17 (05:26):
Secretary Noem, Mayor Frey called the claims of self-defense BS. How do you respond to that?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I say that he doesn't know what he's talking about. It's very clear that this individual was harassing and impeding law enforcement operations. Our officer followed his training, did exactly what he's been taught to do in that situation, and took actions to defend himself and defend his fellow law enforcement officers.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Secretary, can you expand too on the agent's injuries? The president said that he's lucky to be alive.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
The officer was hit by the vehicle. She hit him. He went to the hospital. A doctor did treat him. He has been released, but he's going to spend some time with his family.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Can you clarify whether he [inaudible 00:06:08] shots were fired?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
I can't, but the FBI will continue the investigation and release more facts when it's appropriate.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Secretary Noem, has the agent been relieved of his duty or can you give us any other information-
Speaker 1 (06:18):
No, we're following the standard protocol, procedures we do in situations like this. When there's an officer-involved shooting, we make sure that we get the facts and that we are getting the statements from everybody involved and make sure that investigators are handling the decisions.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
Secretary Noem, have ICE operations paused because of what happened today?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
No, we're still out on the streets doing our work to get dangerous criminals off of the streets of Minneapolis.
Speaker 7 (06:42):
And can you tell any insight into your conversation with the governor?
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Tim and I have known each other for years. We served in Congress together. We both ran for governor the same year and have served as governor at the same times. So, we were colleagues and we discussed what happened here today. We have two very different viewpoints of it. I talked specifically about the fact that we have laws, they need to be enforced. He knows that I believe sanctuary policies have protected criminals and placed a priority of them over the citizens that live here. And he knows we'll continue to do our work and I encouraged him to work with us.
(07:19)
We've never had a cooperative arrangement with law enforcement here. Whenever we've done investigations, whenever we've done police work, when we've been doing what we can to bring people to justice for the crimes that they commit, we haven't had the cooperation of the state of Minnesota or the city police here under the mayor's direction.
(07:38)
If you talk to any of these federal law enforcement officers, they'll say that when they call for backup in a situation, that it's hit-and-miss. They were grateful today that the police chief and local law enforcement showed up at the scene and helped secure it to make sure that nobody was harmed and that the FBI could do their work. But I would encourage them to work with us, that we could form a partnership that would make sure that individuals have the opportunity to have a safe Minneapolis.
Speaker 8 (08:03):
Secretary Noem, will body camera footage be released?
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Over here.
Speaker 9 (08:05):
Do you stand behind the use of force? And will any of those use of force guidelines be altered or changed in the future?
Speaker 1 (08:12):
It's clearly established law that a vehicle driven by a person and used to harm someone is a deadly weapon. Deadly force is perfectly lawful when a threat is faced by a weapon. So, I do believe that this officer used his training in this situation and we'll let the FBI continue the investigation to get it resolved.
Speaker 9 (08:36):
So, just to be clear, the shooting happened before or after the vehicle hit the officer?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I know you keep asking that, but that doesn't mean that the FBI is going to give you an answer today. There will be an investigation. We want to make sure that it's factual. What I would ask is that as we go forward from here today, that we all remember that our job is to have peaceful discussions. I'd encourage our local law enforcement and state law enforcement to work with us. We are going to continue to operate here in Minneapolis and in the state of Minnesota to make sure we're going after dangerous criminals.
(09:02)
One of the key focuses that we've had here is a focus on individuals who are sexual predators and are involved in child exploitation. When I was just here yesterday, we arrested individuals who were charged with criminal assault and sexual assault and people that exploited children. Why would you want to keep them on your streets? President Trump has promised to go after the worst of the worst, and that's exactly what we're doing in Minneapolis. By not working with us, Governor Walz and Mayor Frey are putting those criminals and prioritizing them over our children and our grandchildren.
Speaker 10 (09:34):
Governor Walz said that he was not giving any hands up when there is going to be-
Speaker 1 (09:37):
And that's simply not true. He said that to me on the phone too, so I'll get him the documentation that he needs so that he knows that we would love to coordinate with him. He doesn't give us access to any information on criminals, let us know who he's detained, doesn't honor our detainers and has individuals and criminals in his jurisdiction that he won't turn over us today too. Yes?
Speaker 11 (09:58):
You said that the officer involved today was once before drug by a vehicle. Can you explain the difference between that instance and today? Was a firearm discharged then? If not, what was the difference?
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I won't speak to that case right now, but we can get you the details and the information on that. But the facts of the matter is he's an experienced officer. He's been in situations like this before, and he certainly has been out there and followed his training today.
Speaker 12 (10:26):
Given the threat of vehicle encounters, are you going to change the way police [inaudible 00:10:31]?
Speaker 1 (10:31):
People need to stop using their vehicles as weapons. This domestic act of terrorism to use your vehicle to try to kill law enforcement officers is going to stop. And I'm asking the Department of Justice to prosecute it as domestic terrorism because it's clear that it's being coordinated. People are being trained and told how to use their vehicles to impede law enforcement operations, and then to run over anybody who gets in their way while they go out there and try to disrupt peace and public safety, and Americans deserve better.
Speaker X (10:57):
[inaudible 00:11:00].
Speaker 1 (11:02):
That hasn't been a part of the discussion. I know Governor Walz mentioned some of that earlier in his press conference, but we've got law enforcement officers here that will continue to work and we're hopeful that the public recognizes that the work that we do every day makes America safe again. With that-
Speaker 13 (11:17):
Can you get that into the operation that was happening at 34th and Portland?
Speaker 1 (11:20):
We had law enforcement officers that were out there doing an enforcement action and a vehicle got stuck in the snow, and so they had called for other people to come and help them get that vehicle out. Those officers were trying to free the vehicle when the harassment started, when the protestors were out there impeding their vehicles and preventing them from leaving the scene.
Speaker 13 (11:40):
Was it a particular home or business in that intersection?
Speaker 1 (11:43):
I won't speak to that.
Speaker 14 (11:45):
Can you speak to the crime that person maybe committed that you were going after? You mentioned sexual crime.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Mm-mm.
Speaker 14 (11:49):
Okay. Will body camera footage be released?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
I will let the FBI decide.
Speaker 13 (11:55):
Were they on target today when they were in that neighborhood?
Speaker 1 (11:58):
They were returning back to headquarters, I believe, to start a new operation. Had just completed one.
Speaker 15 (12:04):
Was it an ICE vehicle-
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Well, thank you. What's that?
Speaker 15 (12:06):
Was it an ICE vehicle that [inaudible 00:12:08]?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
It was one of the vehicles that ICE officers were using. But remember, when we operate, we operate in a task force model. So, we have other federal agencies that work with us and we're very grateful for that. We have CBP officers, the FBI, DEA, ATF, all of those all work with us every day in a task force model and we appreciate it. We'd love to have the state police and we'd also love to have the Minneapolis Police chief and his team be alongside of us while we're out there doing those enforcement operations.
Speaker X (12:35):
[inaudible 00:12:37].
Speaker 1 (12:36):
With that, we'll get you more information as it is revealed, but thank you. And everybody, let's work together to make sure that we can continue to help the city be safer, get more criminals off the streets and ensure that our public has the opportunity to pursue the American dream in a city they can be proud of. Thank you.
Speaker X (13:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Thank you, guys. Appreciate it. Thanks.
Speaker X (13:30):
[inaudible 00:13:31].
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Appreciate it.
Speaker X (13:30):
[inaudible 00:13:31].
Speaker 17 (13:31):
Thank you. Thank you for coming.
Speaker 16 (13:32):
Thank you.
Speaker 17 (13:33):
Yeah. Sure.
Speaker X (13:35):
[inaudible 00:13:39].
Speaker 17 (13:42):
Is there anybody that is not doing a live shot?
Speaker 18 (13:45):
Huh?
Speaker 17 (13:45):
Is there anybody that is not staying for a live shot? You're not? Okay. Okay, I'll get you guys your escorts. One second, okay?
Speaker X (13:51):
At least [inaudible 00:13:52].
Speaker 17 (13:51):
Okay. Yeah. No, all good.