The next is the transcript of an interview with Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Jan. 18, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Castlewood, South Dakota and Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem. Good morning to you, Madam Secretary.
SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY KRISTI NOEM: Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: DHS calls this the biggest operation in its historical past, practically 3,000 federal brokers on the market. Is that this an open-ended deployment, or is there a metric for achievement that ends it?
SEC. NOEM: Properly, I believe daily we get a assassin off the streets of Minneapolis, the general public is safer, and President Trump is preserving his promise to the American individuals. And we actually have arrested and detained hundreds of unlawful criminals in Minnesota since President Trump got here again into the White Home. And I’ve by no means met a household that ever mentioned, “Oh, I want you’ll have left that rapist free. I want you’ll have left that assassin on the road.” So we’re simply so grateful that we’ve a president that is upholding the legislation and is set to be sure that the legal guidelines are utilized equally to everybody.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In keeping with Pew, Minnesota’s inhabitants of immigrants right here illegally stands at 2.2%. So, how do you decide whenever you’ve gotten everybody off the streets, that you just say is, , requiring your federal brokers be there? How do you say we have had mission achieved?
SEC. NOEM: Properly, we can’t cease till we’re positive that every one the harmful persons are picked up, dropped at justice after which deported again to their residence countries–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –You do not have a quantity or a date?–
SEC. NOEM: –We would not be on this situation- We would not be on this state of affairs if Joe Biden hadn’t allowed our open-border insurance policies to be in place and allowed as much as 20 million individuals unvetted into this nation. We do not know what number of harmful persons are right here. When you could have tens of millions of individuals coming in which can be terrorists, suspected terrorists, criminals, come from nations within the mass migration that the Biden administration facilitated, I can not inform the individuals of Minnesota precisely what number of harmful criminals they’ve. I do know that they are extraordinarily grateful each time we get a pedophile off the road. We end- arrested a person this week that was raping kids. I believe these mother and father in Minnesota can sleep higher at night time understanding that that particular person is not free.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Certain, however you simply mentioned tens of millions. What is the breakdown of the share of those that you could have in custody who’ve truly dedicated a prison offense versus simply the civil infraction?
SEC. NOEM: Each single particular person has dedicated against the law, however 70% of them have dedicated or have fees towards them on violent crimes, and crimes that they’re charged with or have been convicted of, which have come from different countries–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –that’s–
SEC. NOEM: –that are right here illegally, to begin with. After which they’ve dedicated a prison act whereas they have been right here or of their residence nations as nicely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: It is not 70%.
SEC. NOEM: Sure, it’s. It completely is, Margaret–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –70% of everybody that–
SEC. NOEM: –You guys preserve altering your proportion, you choose and select what numbers you suppose work, however that’s the information, is that 70% of the those that we’ve detained have fees towards them or have been convicted of fees. And so they must be dropped at justice, and we will preserve doing that, irrespective of how a lot you guys preserve mendacity and do not inform the general public the reality. It completely is that these legislation enforcement officers are on the market daily doing the work to guard the American individuals, and they’ll preserve doing that as a result of they consider in implementing the legislation, which is precisely what President Trump has charged them with.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, nicely, our reporting is that 47% based mostly in your company’s personal numbers, 47% have prison convictions towards them*. However let’s speak concerning the different numbers–
SEC. NOEM: –Which implies you are unsuitable once more. Completely. We’ll get you the right numbers–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Okay–
SEC. NOEM: –so you should use them sooner or later.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, that is out of your company. Let’s discuss our numbers right here at CBS. 54% of Individuals suppose the ICE agent capturing of Renee Good was not justified. 60% say the Trump administration responded to the ICE agent’s actions unfairly. These numbers present you should not have the American public in your aspect. Does that concern you?
SEC. NOEM: Properly, the information are that this particular person weaponized her automotive and threatened the lifetime of the legislation enforcement officer and people round him. And that’s what the media must cowl, individuals perceive it is the reality once they have the possibility to listen to the information across the case. And this particular person was impeding legislation enforcement operations for fairly a while earlier than this incident occurred. It is a tragedy that this case has occurred on this nation, and we hope there’s by no means one other state of affairs like this earlier than. However this officer relied on his coaching to, to defend his life and to defend these round him, and we’re, we’re grateful that we’re in a state of affairs the place we hope that extra individuals do not weaponize their automobiles like this. We’re seeing it occur over and over. We have seen over 100 totally different car weaponized and attacking legislation enforcement officers. I’d hope that Mayor Frey, when he is on right here, that he’ll announce that he will begin working with us to deliver security to the streets. If he would arrange a peaceable protest zone in order that these people can train their First Modification rights and achieve this peacefully, we might love that, as a result of then we may work collectively to ensure we’re getting criminals to justice and letting individuals nonetheless specific their First Modification rights.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, that it’s in dispute about weaponizing a automotive versus driving ahead, however I will put that aside–
SEC. NOEM: –No it is actually not. Everyone can watch the movies and see that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, let me speak to you concerning the officer, Jonathan Ross. He was struck. He was hospitalized–
SEC. NOEM: –Do not say his identify. I imply, for heaven’s sakes, we- we don’t- we should not have individuals proceed to dox legislation enforcement once they have an 8,000%–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –his identify is public–
SEC. NOEM: –increase in dying threats towards them–
MARGARET BRENNAN: — he was struck and hospitalized–
SEC. NOEM: –I do know, however that does not imply it ought to proceed to be mentioned. His life- he obtained attacked with a automotive that was attempting to take his life, after which individuals have attacked him and his household, and they’re in jeopardy. And we’ve legislation enforcement officers daily who’re getting dying threats and getting attacked at their lodges they usually are–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Properly, are you able to inform me about his standing proper now–
SEC. NOEM: –getting ice thrown at them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, in fact, nobody condones–
SEC. NOEM: –I can inform you that he is healing–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –against anybody, however right here, CBS reported that he did have inner bleeding within the torso, however he was launched that very same day. So is he again at work?
SEC. NOEM: I am not going to share – I am not going to–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Did you give him the required three days of suspension?
SEC. NOEM: We adopted the very same protocols that we at all times have for years as to investigations into these situations–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Three days of administrative go away?
SEC. NOEM: –However I am not going to speak about his medical information. I do know that that in itself is his prerogative to debate his well being. However we’re- we’re hopeful that every one of our legislation enforcement officers know that they will exit and do their job–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Yeah–
SEC. NOEM: –apply the legislation equally to everybody and that they will achieve this safely and that the media and folks aren’t going to assault them for standing up for what’s proper.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I am asking you about your insurance policies. I requested you for those who had put him on administrative go away. That is in query as a result of the governor of Minnesota mentioned the one particular person not being investigated for the capturing of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her. Is he right that the federal agent is just not being investigated in any manner? Is there any evaluation of protocol right here?
SEC. NOEM: We’re following the very same investigative and evaluation course of that we at all times have underneath ICE and underneath the Division of Homeland Safety and inside the administration. The very same coverage that the Biden administration used–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –So his actions are being reviewed?
SEC. NOEM: –the very same evaluation, so we have not modified any of that. I’d not- I’d not take heed to Governor Walz. He has a really unhealthy observe document. He- all this billions of {dollars} of fraud was stolen from individuals underneath his watch. He allowed it to occur, and he additionally ignored the legislation and allowed town of Minneapolis to burn down in 2020. He actually isn’t- have logic in a majority of these conditions, and I am not going to be taking any recommendation from him and the way we implement the legislation and defend individuals.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So do I perceive you saying that the Workplace of Skilled Duty is doing its personal probe to find out that the ICE agent violated protocol and that he was on three days of administrative go away as a result of that’s what is within the handbook.
SEC. NOEM: The protocol and the recommendation and the steerage inside that handbook and inside our insurance policies is being adopted precisely prefer it has been for years.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, so there may be some evaluation of his actions is what I perceive you saying there.
SEC. NOEM: Margaret, there at all times is. Each legislation enforcement officer is aware of that once they take the oath to step up and to guard the general public and put their lives on the road, they completely know that every little thing that they do can be analyzed and investigated, but in addition, what they don’t- I do not suppose they realized till only recently is how the liberals and the Democrats and the media would assault them and attempt to destroy their lives for doing what’s proper, and we’re seeing in Minneapolis an unprecedented fraud historical past occurring by elected leaders and people in that state, but in addition prison exercise, and it is being allowed to occur. After we did these operations in different cities throughout the nation, we did not see this sort of violence. We did not see organized, funded protesters are available in to conduct acts of violence towards our legislation enforcement officers–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, let’s discuss that–
SEC. NOEM: –like we’re seeing in Minneapolis. The elected leaders and Mayor Frey is permitting that to occur and permitting this sort of violence to occur once we did not see it in Louisiana, we did not see it in Florida, we did not see it in different cities–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –We are going to speak to Frey about what is going on in his city–
SEC. NOEM –And we should not need to be watching it right here in Minneapolis,
MARGARET BRENNAN: However we’ve heard and I am asking you right here concerning the safety of your brokers that you just say you might be involved about. The native police chief mentioned your brokers are being pressured into conditions out in Minneapolis that they don’t seem to be ready to cope with. And we regarded and the Authorities Accountability Workplace mentioned, again in 2021, most ICE brokers should not skilled to deal with crowd management. So are you increasing the coaching for the brokers that you’re placing on this state of affairs that you just describe as harmful out in Minneapolis?
SEC. NOEM: They’re completely skilled for the conditions that they are put in. We might by no means put an officer in a state of affairs that they’d be past their coaching and ability set. And so these are extremely skilled people which can be right here and in Minneapolis doing operations, they’re and frankly–
MARAGRET BRENNAN: On crowd management and de-escalation?
SEC. NOEM: The Minneapolis chief of police is just not an skilled– completely. They’re skilled at that. Their specialised ability set is being utilized for the place they’re positioned and the roles that they’re doing in Minneapolis and throughout different cities throughout the nation. We, we do- they’ve an unbelievable quantity of coaching that’s ongoing all through their careers–
(CROSSTALK STARTS)
MARAGRET BRENNAN: –Do you need to broaden that?
SEC. NOEM: — in crowd management, in dealing with enforcement operations that they have- Do I need to broaden it based mostly on the Minneapolis police chief’s recommendation? Not on his recommendation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Properly, some Republican–
SEC. NOEM: –I’ll proceed to use–
MARGARET BRENNAN: No, however some Republican lawmakers have referred to as for it.
(CROSSTALK ENDS)
SEC. NOEM: If you happen to remember- nicely, Republican lawmakers and Democrat lawmakers, they completely can proceed to debate. That is what they’re purported to do, is figure on coverage and move legal guidelines. What I do know is that underneath the Division of Homeland Safety has at all times been entrusted with coaching our federal legislation enforcement officers. We do it for a lot of totally different businesses. We prepare these inside the ATF, the DEA. We prepare these which can be established throughout the nation. We’re the biggest legislation enforcement operation and division within the authorities past the Division of Conflict, and we’re pleased with that, and we have finished it with excellence for years and are persevering with to place the resources–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –However these–
SEC. NOEM: –and individuals into our legislation enforcement officers. They should change and to problem these, these conditions they’re dealing with on the bottom.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, however you’ve got described this case as distinctive. You’ve got acknowledged that. I need to speak to you about a few of the instance- incidents that the general public has seen. There was a U.S. citizen, Aliya Rahman, on her option to a medical appointment out in Minneapolis. She was dragged out of her automotive and detained. Video of her arrest was spreading on social media. There have been allegations there of aggressive techniques. You’ve got seen different incidents. For instance, out in Minneapolis, this household with six kids, with one as younger as six months outdated, obtained type of caught within the incident as they have been driving to basketball apply. The mom Future Jackson informed CBS, ICE brokers stopped the automotive, informed them to go away, however the brokers have been in the way in which, they usually feared that they’d have occurred to them what occurred to Renee Good. They did not drive off. ICE launched a canister of tear gasoline, and the mom described giving her toddler CPR. We’re displaying that video there. Do any of those techniques appear to you heavy handed?
SEC. NOEM: That household was caught up in that state of affairs due to violent protesters that have been impeding legislation enforcement operations, and that household would have by no means been in that state of affairs if these protesters had been appearing peacefully and legislation enforcement was capable of do their job with out being threatened. And, so, it is a horrible state of affairs that that household needed to undergo, and I hope it by no means occurs once more. However we have to do not forget that as a result of the mayor and the governor have allowed this sort of violence to be perpetuated throughout Minneapolis is why there’s different harmless individuals which can be impacted all through town however all through their state as nicely. And it would not need to be this way–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –However this does not appear focused.
SEC. NOEM: –They might set up a peaceable protest zone, they might implement their or their legal guidelines. And if Governor Walz did not acknowledge that, that what he’s doing there may be poor management, he would not have put his Nationwide Guard on standby with a view to reply. And I am hopeful that he does acknowledge that he wants to start out working with us–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are your brokers going to comply–
SEC. NOEM: –I’ve requested him to. I do know the White Home has requested him to.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Sorry with the federal order on Friday to not use chemical brokers.
SEC. NOEM: That federal order was a bit ridiculous as a result of that federal decide got here down and informed us we could not do what we already aren’t doing. We, we are- haven’t engaged–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Properly we simply video of chemical brokers being used–
SEC. NOEM: in any- We solely use these chemical brokers when there’s violence occurring and perpetuating and also you want to have the ability to set up legislation with a view to preserve individuals secure. That is the one state of affairs, in order that decide’s order did not change something for the way we’re working on the bottom as a result of it is mainly telling us to do what we have already been doing.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Madam Secretary, thanks to your time this morning. Face the Nation can be again in a minute. Stick with us.
*EDITOR’S NOTE: A CBS Information evaluation of inner DHS knowledge signifies roughly 47% — or about 34,000 — of ICE’s detainees had prison fees or convictions within the U.S. The numbers don’t embody particulars on the severity of the prison information, which may vary from felonies and different severe crimes, to misdemeanors and immigration-related crimes offenses.
