Kristi Noem has staked her political identity on turning Minnesota into a test case for uncompromising immigration enforcement.

She promises open‑ended operations with no public timeline, insists that every person targeted has committed a crime, and sharply dismisses conflicting data, court orders,

and critics in the media. To supporters, she is finally delivering on Trump’s pledge to crack down; to opponents, she is weaponizing fear and federal power against vulnerable communities and local democracy.

The death of Renee Good, shot by an ICE agent after allegedly “weaponizing” her car, now sits at the center of the storm. Noem calls it a tragedy but a justified one, defending the agent’s actions while refusing to share details about his condition or identity. As protesters flood Minneapolis streets and families

are caught in tear gas, she blames “violent” demonstrators and derides judicial limits on chemical agents as “ridiculous,” signaling that, in this fight, restraint is not part of the plan.