Noem declines to retract ‘domestic terrorist’ label after two Minneapolis protesters were fatally shot by federal agents

Senate hearing focuses on rhetoric, accountability, and federal use of force in Minneapolis

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday declined to retract prior remarks in which she associated two Minneapolis protesters who were killed by federal officers with “domestic terrorism,” as she faced questions in a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing focused on immigration enforcement tactics and the use of force.

The dispute centers on two separate fatal incidents in Minneapolis: the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good, 37, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during an enforcement operation, and the Jan. 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive-care nurse, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents amid escalating street confrontations surrounding federal operations.

What Noem said about the Minneapolis killings

In public statements made shortly after both deaths, Noem framed the events as politically motivated violence directed at federal personnel. In the Good case, she characterized the incident as an “act of domestic terrorism,” asserting that a vehicle had been used as a weapon against agents. In the Pretti case, she said the circumstances met criteria for “domestic terrorism,” describing the situation as an attempted disruption of a law-enforcement operation.

At the Senate hearing, Noem did not withdraw the characterization when pressed by lawmakers, while also disputing parts of how her earlier phrasing has been described. Senators challenged the department’s early public narrative and pressed for a clearer accounting of what occurred, including the factual basis for assigning such labels before investigations are completed.

What is known about the incidents

• Jan. 7, 2026: Good was killed after a confrontation involving federal agents and her vehicle. Video of the incident circulated publicly in the aftermath, with local and federal accounts diverging on whether her actions posed an imminent threat to agents at the moment shots were fired.

• Jan. 24, 2026: Pretti was killed during a street encounter involving federal agents and civilians who were observing, filming, or attempting to intervene as tensions rose around an operation. Conflicting accounts emerged about whether Pretti posed a lethal threat before shots were fired.

In both cases, federal officials described the shootings as defensive actions taken in chaotic circumstances. Critics, including some Minnesota officials and civil-rights advocates, have argued the available public record does not support the department’s most severe characterizations and have called for transparent investigations.

Broader scrutiny of federal operations in Minnesota

Noem’s testimony unfolded amid continuing political pressure over a surge of federal immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota earlier this year, including questions about the scale of federal deployments, coordination with local authorities, and how the department communicates with the public after critical incidents.

Lawmakers focused repeatedly on whether senior officials should apply stigmatizing labels before investigators establish a full factual record.

Noem is expected to face further questioning in the House in additional oversight proceedings as investigations continue and as Minnesota’s congressional delegation presses for clearer public reporting on the shootings, disciplinary actions, and use-of-force standards.