Trump Dumps Kristi Noem, Names Longtime Rival to Lead ICE in Minneapolis After Deadly Shooting Chaos

President Donald Trump has moved to replace Kristi Noem from day to day oversight of a tense ICE operation in Minneapolis and sent a longtime rival to take charge.

He ordered Tom Homan, a veteran immigration official, to Minnesota as protests grew after a fatal shooting by federal agents.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he was dispatching Homan “to Minnesota tonight.” “I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there,” Trump wrote. “Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”

The move came after the death of 37 year old Alex Pretti, a nurse who was shot by federal immigration officers during an operation. Video and witness accounts of the shooting have driven sharp public anger and renewed debate over federal tactics in the state.

Protests spilled into the streets on Sunday night near a hotel where agents were thought to be staying. Footage showed windows smashed and graffiti on the building as people pressed at the entrance without gaining entry. Police did not appear to stop the unrest for more than an hour, according to local reports.

Republican lawmakers in Washington have expressed concern about how the operation has been handled. At the same time, Democratic leaders in Minnesota have demanded federal agents withdraw while state legal actions challenge the deployment.

Noem and Homan have clashed privately for months over how far to push mass deportation and how to run field operations. Those tensions hardened into public political theater as the Minneapolis operation drew national attention.

Trump has also used the episode to press broader claims about fraud and about Representative Ilhan Omar. “Separately, a major investigation is going on with respect to the massive 20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesota, and is at least partially responsible for the violent organized protests going on in the streets,” he wrote.

He concluded, “Additionally, the DOJ and Congress are looking at ‘Congresswoman’ Ilhan Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars. Time will tell all.”

The President framed Homan as a fix it choice. His post echoed a familiar playbook. Move a loyal hand into a hot spot, call for toughness, and promise results. That formula has worked for headlines before even when it has not calmed crowds.

Legal and political fights are already lined up. Minnesota officials have sued to limit federal operations and judges are set to hear arguments about the scope of the crackdown and the preservation of evidence. Those court steps could shape whether federal agents stay and how investigations proceed.

Featured image via X screengrab