LOWER MANHATTAN (WABC) — From the 50th floor of the World Trade Center, within view of the Statue of Liberty, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the actions of the federal immigration agent who fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, claiming Renee Good was part of a group following ICE agents and targeting them with her vehicle.
She said that while there would be an investigation into the officer’s use of force, she believed he followed his training and the shooting was justified. She again called the incident “domestic terrorism.”
“This vehicle was used to hit this officer,” Noem said. “It was used as a weapon, and the officer feels as though his life was in jeopardy. It was used to perpetuate a violent act, and this officer took action to protect himself and to protect his fellow law enforcement officers.
Noem also said that law enforcement authorities in Minnesota have not been shut out of the probe into the shooting.
“They don’t have any jurisdiction in this investigation,” she said.
Noem also spoke out in response to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s statement Wednesday about the shooting in Minneapolis, calling the shooting part of “a year full of cruelty.”
“Your mayor just said in that statement that he is going to stand with illegal people who have broken our law before he’s going to put New York City citizens first,” Noem said. “His job and why he was elected is to protect the people who live here. They had the opportunity to vote for him and have the opportunity to live in the city. They pay their taxes they go to work every day. Instead, the mayor in that statement chose to stand with illegals instead of those individuals who just want the chance to raise their families in New York City and have a part of the American dream.”
Before Noem’s press briefing, Gov. Kathy Hochul said on a TV interview that she and Mamdani will “stand together and reject any efforts to try to militarize our streets.”
Hochul said there will not be a repeat of the fatal shooting involving ICE agents in New York City.
The governor said her budget, to be unveiled next week, will include a proposal to give New Yorkers “a way to get recourse against” ICE agents.
Noem was previously scheduled to speak in New York to announce the apprehension of 54 people authorities said were “loosely affiliated” with the Trinatarios street gang and undocumented immigrants, two of whom she linked to the summertime shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer who was wounded in the wrist and face.
About 30 of the 54 individuals were immediately deported.
Notably, the local head of CBP said the successful operation in New York unfolded without fanfare, often under the cover of night, without advanced word that could rile up a community.
(The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.)
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