NEED TO KNOW

• Kristi Noem told Face the Nation‘s Margaret Brennan not to say the name of the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis earlier this month
• When Brennan named Jonathan Ross during their interview, Noem immediately interrupted her, warning that to do so could put Ross’ safety at risk
• Brennan reminded the Homeland Security secretary that Ross’ name is public

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem balked at the mention of ICE agent Jonathan Ross’ name during a Face the Nation interview weeks after Ross fatally shot a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis.

Noem, 54, joined host Margaret Brennan on the Sunday, Jan. 18, episode of the CBS News program to discuss the Trump administration’s ongoing deportation efforts, which have fueled increased tension in Minneapolis as ICE agents clash with civilians. Protesters rallied after the Jan. 7 death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old who was shot by Ross while in her car.

Ross opened fire on Good, first through her windshield and then twice through her car’s open driver’s-side window. She was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead that same day.

While discussing Good’s death, Brennan began to ask Noem specifically about Ross, but the Homeland Security chief cut her off.

“Don’t say his name. I mean, for heaven’s sakes, we shouldn’t have people continue to dox law enforcement when they have an 8,000% increase in death threats against them,” Noem told her.

When Brennan replied, “His name is public,” Noem told her, “I know, but that doesn’t mean it should continue to be said.”

“His life, he got attacked with a car that was trying to take his life, and then people have attacked him and his family, and they are in jeopardy. We have law enforcement officers every day who are getting death threats and getting attacked at their hotels, they’re getting ice thrown at them,” Noem added.

Brennan told Noem, “of course no one condones violence against anyone,” and asked for an update on Ross, specifically whether he was back working for ICE and if he had been temporarily suspended following Good’s death.

Noem was resistant to share anything about the officer, replying, “I’m not gonna share his, I’m not gonna— we followed the exact same protocols that we always have for years as to investigations into these situations. But I’m not gonna talk about his medical records. I know that you know that in itself is his prerogative to discuss his health.”

When pressed by Brennan whether or not Ross would be investigated for the shooting, Noem remained tight-lipped and shifted her answer to accuse Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of allowing “billions of dollars of fraud” to occur in his state.

Hours after Noem’s Face the Nation interview, the DOJ said that Ross would not be investigated for the shooting, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed to Fox News that the DOJ is looking into possibly charging state officials in Minnesota.

Noem’s doxxing accusation comes weeks after Ross was identified as the agent who fatally shot Good on Jan. 7. After the Minnesota Star Tribune first identified him, followed by Fox9 and The Intercept, ICE Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended Ross and said the agency would not release his identity. 

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“We are not going to expose the name of this officer. He acted according to his training,” she said at the time, noting that the agent had over 10 years of experience as an ICE Deportation Officer.

“DHS will never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers. Doxxing our officers put their lives and their families in serious danger,” she continued. “Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines arresting terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists. Now, thanks to the malicious rhetoric of sanctuary politicians, they are under constant threat from violent agitators.”

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Despite rising tensions and broad disapproval from the American public, Noem and DHS have no plans to scale back the presence of ICE in U.S. cities. Noem recently said that Americans should prepare to prove their citizenship, and claimed that validating the identity of some people approached by ICE agents is “something we’ve always done.”

While protests against ICE have surged across the country — including in California, where a 21-year-old anti-ICE protester was left permanently blinded in one eye and allegedly mocked by agents after he was shot at close range with non-lethal ammunition — President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act specifically in Minnesota to stop anti-ICE protests.

The act was last used in 1992 when riots broke out after four White police officers were acquitted in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. It would allow Trump, 79, to deploy federal troops to Minnesota. The Washington Post reported on Sunday that the Pentagon had ordered approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for possible deployment to the state.