Noem says Walz dismissed federal help: 'You let your city burn'
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to discuss her recent call with Gov. Tim Walz, protests and ICE enforcement in Minnesota and President Donald Trump's authority under the Insurrection Act.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz rejected her offer of help in Minneapolis as federal agents continue operating in the city amid protests.
Tensions have remained high in Minneapolis after a fatal, officer-involved shooting Jan. 7 and a separate, non-fatal incident Wednesday.
Noem argued the media is "helping" Democrats while misrepresenting the situation on the ground.
"Gov. Tim Walz has my phone number. I have called him and talked to him and said, ‘Listen, you let your city burn down in 2020. Don’t do it again,’" Noem said Thursday on "America’s Newsroom."
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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem participates in a roundtable discussion with local ranchers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in Brownsville, Texas, on Jan. 7. (Getty Images )
"You see a lot of news reports out there that it was another ICE shooting. They didn’t report anything about the weapons or the fact that these individuals came out of a home to beat him mercilessly with a shovel and that he had to protect his own life," Noem added of the non-fatal shooting.
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Noem blamed rhetoric from Democratic leaders, including Walz, for escalating the violence. She called their anti-ICE messaging "extremely reckless" and noted she spoke with Walz several days ago and offered the support of the Department of Homeland Security.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces he will not seek re-election during a press conference at the state Capitol in St. Paul Jan. 5. (Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
"I said, ‘Sir, listen — Tim, you know, with the situation, what’s going on. We are enforcing federal law. If you don’t like the laws, go change them, but don’t do it by giving place to these protesters and rioters that are perpetuating violence,’" Noem said.
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"I said, ‘You have my personal cell phone. You call me. If you need me, you call me. We will be there to help back you up — but protect your city, protect your state,’" she added.
Protesters clash with law enforcement outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Minneapolis Jan. 8. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Noem said Walz responded by noting they have different views on the situation in Minnesota.
Walz and other Democratic officials have been critical of DHS immigration enforcement operations in the state. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has repeatedly criticized ICE's presence in the city, arguing it is contributing to what he described as statewide "chaos."
Fox News Digital reached out to Walz's press office for a statement and did not receive a response by press time.
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