Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has criticized the Face The Nation host after she named the agent involved in the recent shooting in Minneapolis.
Noem joined Margaret Brennan on CBS Part of Face The Nation Sunday to discuss recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota including the January 7 shooting that led to the death of Renee Judd.
Brennan specifically mentioned the name of the ICE officer involved in the shooting. “Let me talk to you about Officer Jonathan Ross, who was injured and taken to the hospital,” Brennan said before Noem angrily interrupted.
“Well, don’t mention his name, I mean, for heaven’s sake, we shouldn’t have people continuing to enforce the law when they have an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against them,” Noem said. “He was attacked by a car that was trying to kill him, and then people attacked him and his family, and they are in danger, and we have law enforcement officers every day receiving death threats, being attacked in their hotels, having snow thrown at them.”
Noem also talked about how this particular incident was a tragedy, but how grateful she was that the officer involved protected himself and those around him.
Noem continued, “This officer relied on his training to defend his life and defend those around him, and we are grateful that we are in a position where we hope no more people will arm their vehicles in this way. We see it happening over and over again. We have seen over a hundred different vehicles armed and attacking law enforcement officers.”
Noem also said she hopes Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey will work with him President TrumpICE management to bring safety to the streets and a way for protesters to express their First Amendment rights in a way that does not impede ICE operations. (RELATED: Department of Justice reportedly investigating Tim Walz and Jacob Frey for obstruction of law enforcement)
A YouGov poll conducted from January 9 to 11 showed this 53% of participants believe Ross should face criminal charges for his actions. His whereabouts are currently unknown, as he and his family went into hiding after the shooting, and DHS has refused to release any information due to safety concerns.
A Ministry of Homeland Security a report A report from October 30 showed that death threats against ICE agents have increased 8,000 percent since Trump took office.