Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivered remarks in Minnesota Friday on the ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
Secretary Noem discussed stepped-up ICE enforcement efforts in Minnesota, part of the administration's broader push to tighten immigration policies nationwide.
Noem outlined plans to prioritize arrests of people with criminal records and those with pending deportation orders, but offered few details on how enforcement will increase or what resources might be added in the state.
She also did not confirm whether the President Trump plans to deploy the National Guard to assist.
“I'm here today to ask all of the people in Minnesota, all of the people in the Midwest and throughout our country, to support your law enforcement officers, to support them and protect them as they go out and do their jobs,” Noem said.
Noem also criticized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the city's longstanding policy prohibiting its employees from assisting with civil immigration enforcement.
In a statement before the visit, Frey said the city supports every resident regardless of their immigration status.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Bishop Whipple Building at Fort Snelling before Noem spoke. It started with a prayer by interfaith leaders, dozens of whom were in attendance.
Richard Lanford is a retired Church of Christ pastor now living in Minneapolis. He carried a sign saying, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Lanford said he sees ICE acting in direct violation of Christ’s teachings.
“It’s an issue of faith and morality: human rights being violated, no due process…We’re supposed to love our neighbor, which at the least means treating them as human beings and with some dignity,” Lanford said. “Jesus would be shaking his head and weeping at this.”
The crowd carried signs like "Love my country, ashamed of my government.” Numerous demonstrators also donned costumes adopted by protesters in other cities, including unicorns, inflatable frogs and a giraffe. The crowd grew to more than 600 as Noem began to speak.
Gunther Krause came to the protest in a purple unicorn costume he originally bought as a Halloween costume when he lived in Madison. He called the approach “tactical frivolity,” a way of highlighting important issues while keeping the energy light.
“With people disappearing, people being kidnapped in the streets, you really need to bring attention to it without too much negativity and without losing hope for yourself and everyone around you,” Krause said. “People love it around here. They love seeing a unicorn.”
Demonstrators approached the front doors and chanted "No more Minnesota nice, we don't want your dirty ICE." A few demonstrators banged on the windows and tried to open the door to the building, but were deterred by three federal police officers in standard uniforms. The crowd continued to peacefully chant "We'll be back" and drum as journalists who attended the press conference left the building.
Jane Pierce of Bloomington went to the protest dressed in a red robe and white bonnet like characters from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian “The Handmaid’s Tale” along with five other friends.
“For me it’s the people who are just trying to live their best life, who came here for a better life with their families, who are being kidnapped on the streets. The little kids who are being zip tied,” Pierce said. “It’s just not the way America should be.”
Stephanie Valencia of Minneapolis wore a patch on her jacket that read “Tacos not tanks.” As a first generation American, she feels a responsibility to “show up for the people who are too afraid to be here today.” Valencia said it’s been “terrorizing” to watch social media videos of people who look like her family members being brutalized by ICE agents across the country.
“Being around crowds like this…makes me feel supported and welcomed, and I know that I’m not alone,” Valencia said. “So, it’s really important for my heart to be here.”
Earlier Friday afternoon, protesters held a press conference and rally outside the building.
A handful of Trump supporters milled around the edges of the parking lot with American flags. Protesters approached them and contested their positions, but the interaction stayed cordial. A couple hours before the planned 4 p.m. protest at the same site, there was little evidence that federal law enforcement would be present.
Advocates say they’re concerned about renewed ICE activity in the Twin Cities and the potential impact on local families.
Jess Sundin, a representative for the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, questioned the rationale given by the Trump administration for the deportations.
“We stand in absolute opposition to Trump’s racist campaign against our people. We stand in unconditional solidarity with our immigrant neighbors who are being targeted based on a lie,” said Sundin. “ICE hasn't been targeting criminals.”
Among the handful of demonstrators gathered in support of ICE was a man who identified himself as Alleister, from Minneapolis. He said he came out “to show support for federal law enforcement, for Kristi Noem, and for the law.”
Noem’s visit to Minnesota comes at a time of growing tension over immigration enforcement across the country. In cities like Portland, federal agents have faced protests and legal challenges, and reports of National Guard deployments have added to the pressure and public concern.
In Chicago, a Cook County judge recently issued an order barring ICE from making civil arrests at or around courthouses — a response to criticism that such practices deter citizens and noncitizens alike from accessing courts.
Correction (Oct. 24, 2025): An earlier version of this story misspelled Leigh Finke’s first name in a photo caption. The caption has been corrected.
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