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
- Trump says he's 'not' pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota 'at all'
- Tom Homan admits failures after Minneapolis killings: ‘No agency is perfect’
- Trump calls border czar Tom Homan 'terrific'
- ICE reportedly backs down on its threat to patrol the Super Bowl
- Analysis: Judges are struggling to hold ICE accountable for dozens of violations
Recap of Minnesota events so far
04:42 , Mike BediganIt’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.”
In pictures: Minneapolis pays tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti with memorials
08:00 , Rachel DobkinMinneapolis has paid tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti after they were fatally shot by federal immigration agents this month.
Watch: Tom Homan says 'no agency is perfect' as he does damage control in Minneapolis
07:30 , Rachel DobkinICYMI: New details revealed on liquid Ilhan Omar was sprayed with after she spoke out against ICE
07:00 , Alex WoodwardThe Department of Justice has filed federal criminal charges against the man who lunged at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis.
Anthony Kazmierczak was swiftly detained and booked by Minnesota authorities on state-level third-degree assault after Tuesday’s incident.
Now, an unsealed federal criminal complaint alleges Kazmierczak “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated an officer and employee of the United States” while she was engaged in official duties.
The FBI’s affidavit alleges Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with a syringe filled with apple cider vinegar, which “stained her clothes and may have reached her face and right eye.” The affidavit also included a picture of the syringe that Kamierczak was accused of wielding.
Gavin Newsom on Trump's immigration crackdown: 'None of this can be normalized'
06:30 , Rachel DobkinCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has urged Americans not to normalize what’s happening amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
“It’s tragic what’s happening,” Newsom said at a Bloomberg event, adding that federal immigration officials are “terrorizing communities.”
What more evidence do we need that Donald Trump is trying to torch our republic.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 30, 2026
None of this can be normalized. pic.twitter.com/3HpDEQLrDt
“People are dying in the United States of America,” Newsom said. “None of this can be normalized.“
Newsom’s comments come after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month.
Democrats say they've 'seen enough' from DHS, calls for Noem to be impeached
06:00 , Rachel DobkinDemocrats on the House Homeland Security committee have said that they've “seen enough” from the department they oversee and have called for Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.
Kristi Noem’s masked secret police shot and killed an ICU nurse and a mother of 3.
— Homeland Dems (@HomelandDems) January 30, 2026
We’ve seen enough. She needs to be impeached. https://t.co/2bYJ28Yz9v
Federal immigration agents in Minneapolis fatally shot Renee Good, a mother of three, and ICU nurse Alex Pretti in two separate incidents this month. The department has framed both shootings as self-defense.
Kristi Noem reacts to video of Alex Pretti days before shooting
05:30 , Rachel DobkinHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has reacted to a video of Alex Pretti getting into a confrontation with federal agents days before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol in another confrontation.
“Well, clearly there’s a history there of attacking our law enforcement officers and our CBP [Customs and Border Protection] and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officers and that’s an example of what our officers have had to face every single day in Minneapolis and in Minnesota,” Noem told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night.
In the video, Pretti is seen kicking a government vehicle's taillight before agents tackled him to the ground.
Steve Schleicher, an attorney for Pretti’s family, preivously told The Independent: "Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing.”
Hochul suggests Noem is delusional for Fox News comments
05:00 , Rachel DobkinNew 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.
https://t.co/8IY90oIXMI pic.twitter.com/XY7R6X0jOy
— Governor Hochul Press Office (@NYGovPress) January 30, 2026
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...
New York governor calls on Kristi Noem to resign as Homeland Security Secretary
Another anti-ICE protest in Minnesota will take place Friday
04:30 , Rachel DobkinAnother 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.
Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills after Trump said a deal was struck
04:00 , Rachel DobkinThe 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.
Trump calls border czar Tom Homan 'terrific'
03:30 , Rachel DobkinPresident 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.”
When asked about her 'domestic terrorism' comments, Noem shifts blame to Biden
03:00 , Rachel DobkinWhen 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.
Kristi Noem defends comments on Alex Pretti shooting
02:40 , Rachel DobkinHomeland 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.
Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president
02:20 , Rachel DobkinFirst 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...
Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president
White House and Democrats strike deal to prevent government shutdown
02:00 , Associated PressA 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...
White House and Democrats strike deal to prevent government shutdown
Trump says he's 'not' pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota 'at all'
01:44 , Rachel DobkinWhen 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.”
Photos of Minneapolis today
01:20 , Rachel Dobkin
Kristi Noem thanks Trump for signing Laken Riley Act one year ago today
01:00 , Rachel DobkinDepartment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has thanked President Donald Trump for signing the Laken Riley Act one year ago today.
“Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration,” Noem wrote on X Thursday. “Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country.”
Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 30, 2026
“We can never bring Laken back, but we can do everything in our power to bring these heinous criminals to justice. I am so proud of what our brave men and women of ICE have done to remove these criminals from America’s streets,” Noem added.
The bill — named after a University of Georgia student who was killed in 2024 by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant — requires the federal detention of undocumented immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a police officer or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury.
‘No agency is perfect’: Tom Homan admits failures after Minneapolis killings
00:45 , Mike BediganICE reportedly backs down on its threat to patrol the Super Bowl
00:31 , Mike BediganImmigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be backing off its threat to patrol the Super Bowl later this year.
Unnamed sources speaking to TMZ reportedly told the outlet that the Department of Homeland Security will not be sending federal agents to conduct immigration operations at Super Bowl LX, which will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8.
Full story from Graig Graziosi here:
ICE reportedly backs down on its threat to patrol the Super Bowl
Analysis: Judges are struggling to hold ICE accountable for dozens of violations. If they can’t, who can?
00:17 , Mike BediganFederal judges are calling on their colleagues to “draw and hold” the line while courtrooms are overwhelmed with cases with immigrants’ freedoms at stake, Alex Woodward writes.
Read the full analysis here:
Judges are struggling with ICE in court. Can they hold it accountable?
Watch: Batman puts Bay Area city council on blast over ICE at the upcoming Super Bowl
00:02 , Mike BediganTrump hails deal with Democrats to avoid shutdown and fund DHS
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:45 , Mike BediganDonald Trump has hailed a potential deal with Senate Democrats to avoid a government shutdown and provide temporary funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
“America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown,” the president wrote on Truth Social Thursday evening.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay. 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. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump again ends press briefing with no questions
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:24 , Mike BediganDonald Trump ended his second public event of the day without taking questions from reporters, despite the situation in Minneapolis remaining high on the news agenda.
The president spoke about addiction at an event in the Oval Office Thursday evening, along with Doug Burgum and his wife Kathryn, who speaks publicly about addiction, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy JR and Dr. Mehmet Oz.
After the event concluded, reporters were ushered out swiftly, with no time to quiz the president, according to pool reporters who were present.
Trump also did not take questions earlier Thursday at his first full cabinet meeting of the New Year.
Democrats and White House reach a deal to avert government shutdown and temporarily fund DHS
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:24 , Mike BediganDemocrats Democrats and White House have reached a tentative deal to avert government shutdown and temporarily fund Homeland Security.
The news Thursday evening comes in the wake of the death of protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis.
Irate Senate Democrats previously laid out a list of demands on Wednesday, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest.
Lawyer says Alex Pretti was 'violently assaulted' by ICE 11 days before his death
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:10 , Mike BediganSteve Schleicher, an attorney for Alex Pretti’s family, has said the 37-year-old was “violently assaulted” during an incident 11 days before his death.
“A week before Alex was gunned down in the street – despite posing no threat to anyone – he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents,” Schleicher said in a previous statement to The Independent.
“Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24.”
New footage of the incident, obtained by The Independent, emerged on Thursday. Watch it below:
White House responds to Bruce Springsteen's Minneapolis protest song
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:56 , Mike BediganThe White House has responded to a new Minneapolis protest song written and released by Bruce Springsteen.
"The Trump administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities — not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
“The media should cover how Democrats have refused to work with the Administration, and instead, opted to provide sanctuary for these criminal illegals."
The Boss, one of the staunchest Trump critics in music dedicated the new song to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed in Minneapolis by federal agents.
In “Streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen hurls insults at Trump and his ICE agents’ ongoing invasion of the Minnesota city with pointed lyrics about “King Trump” and his “private army.”
Stephen Miller not at cabinet meeting, report
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:44 , Mike BediganStephen Miller was not present at Donald Trump’s first full cabinet meeting of the New Year, according to pool reports.
It comes after the senior White House advisor suggested that Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, was a “would-be assassin,” sparking intense backlash.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment about Miller’s reported absence from the meeting.
Jeffiries on Noem: 'She's gotta go'
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:10 , Mike BediganNEW: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem:
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 29, 2026
“She’s got to be put on ice permanently.” pic.twitter.com/peWEv4nYIg
Bovino addresses federal agents from Mt. Rushmore after removal
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:02 , Mike BediganBorder Patrol commander Gregory Bovino has sent a heartfelt message to the federal immigration agents he oversaw in Minnesota, praising them and sending them love in a video filmed in front of Mount Rushmore.
Bovino, who was recently demoted from his role leading the aggressive deportation operation in Minnesota, made a pit stop Thursday in South Dakota as he makes his way back to his original post in California.
Ariana Baio has more:
Greg Bovino breaks his silence from Mt. Rushmore and addresses federal agents
New video shows Alex Pretti tackled by federal agents after kicking car 11 days before fatal shooting
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:52 , Mike BediganCongressional Hispanic Caucus calls on DHS to 'bring Liam home'
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:40 , Rachel DobkinThe Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called on the Department of Homeland Security to release five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father after the pair was taken into federal custody outside their Minnesota home last week.
A 5-year-old child should be going home after preschool, not sleeping in detention. We are calling on DHS to release Liam and his father now. #BringLiamHome pic.twitter.com/ms0UdSdT6y
— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (@HispanicCaucus) January 29, 2026
The preschooler and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, are currently in a detention center in Texas.
Hakeem Jeffries spars with Fox News host over immigration crackdown
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:20 , Rachel DobkinHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sparred with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Thursday over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Earlier Thursday, the Senate failed to advance a six-bill government funding package that the House previously 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.
“These six bills were signed as part of the hangover from the last [government] shutdown, and they were all agreed to before what happened in Minneapolis, which was very tragic,” MacCallum said.
Jeffries: We believe there should be a prohibition on ICE deporting or detaining American citizens. We believe that ICE should conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country, that they should not run around with masks, that they should have body cameras,… pic.twitter.com/wpgIfCII6r
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 29, 2026
Jeffries tried to interject, but the host continued, “But Minneapolis is a unique situation.”
“Well, let me just address the statement that you just made because that’s inaccurate. The Homeland Security funding bill was...prior to the cold-blooded killing of Alex Pretti. And the overwhelming majority of House Democrats voted against it,” Jeffries said.
ICE has Hispanic people so afraid of being arrested they are drinking less, tequila maker claims
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:00 , Graig GraziosiThe world's largest tequila maker is blaming President Donald Trump's heavy-handed immigration crackdowns on its slumping sales.
Proximo Spirits — the U.S. distribution arm for Becle, which owns Jose Cuervo tequila — said that fear in the Hispanic community has kept some at home rather than going out and having drinks.
“The tension of the immigration policies has created a very difficult atmosphere with consumers, especially with immigrants, with Hispanics, [who] obviously make up a big portion of our particular business,” Lander Otegui, Proximo Spirits' head of marketing, told The Financial Times.
Read more...
New details about the face recognition app that federal agents use to speed up arrests
Thursday 29 January 2026 20:36 , Rachel DobkinNew details have emerged about the face recognition app that federal immigration agents use to identify people and speed up arrests.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s use of Mobile Fortify has already been reported on, but the Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 AI Use Case Inventory released Wednesday gave new insight into the technology that agents are using to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.
Customs and Border Protection said the app became “operational” in early May 2025, and ICE got access to it later that month, according to Wired.
Read more about Mobile Fortify:
ICE is using Border Patrol mobile facial recognition technology to speed up arrests
