(NewsNation) — White House border czar Tom Homan will soon join a growing number of federal officials and agents in Minnesota, President Donald Trump announced Monday.
“He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” Trump said.
Homan will also be at the helm of ongoing fraud investigations in the state, according to press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Walz, Trump spoke about Homan’s arrival, president says
Play VideoFederal officials frustrated with DHS narrative of Alex Pretti shooting | NewsNation Live
On social media Monday, Trump said he and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a “good call” about Homan’s arrival: “The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!”
The pair were on a “similar wavelength” about the move, Trump said, adding, “both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!”
Minneapolis mourns Alex Pretti as protests continue in subzero temps
Homan heads to Minnesota amid protests over latest shooting
Protests over federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota have continued for nearly a month as two fatal shootings by federal agents have sparked concern from activists and lawmakers alike, who have questioned the decision to flood the state with federal forces — as well as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s characterizations that those killed were “domestic terrorists.”
Noem praised Trump’s decision, calling it “good news for peace, safety and accountability in Minneapolis.”‘
Walz to Americans after latest Minnesota shooting: ‘What side do you want to be on?’
“I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team— his experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations, which have robbed Americans, and will help us to remove even more public safety threats and violent criminal illegal aliens off the of streets of Minneapolis,” she wrote on social media.
A White House official told NewsNation that Noem will continue to lead the Department of Homeland Security, while Homan will “drop everything and focus solely on Minnesota” to resolve ongoing tension.
Kristi Noem previously denied rift with Tom Homan
Noem has denied a rift between herself and Homan over enforcement protocol in recent months, though two sources close to the White House told NewsNation that cooperation between Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is more strained than the administration has portrayed.
At the heart of the conflict are senior Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski and Homan, who have been at odds, four White House and DHS sources confirmed to NewsNation on condition of anonymity in November. Lewandowski was referred to by a source as the “shadow leader of DHS.”
The conflict has created uncertainty about who is in charge of immigration enforcement efforts.
DHS maintains a Border Patrol agent fired in self-defense against Pretti, who federal agents say approached them with a gun.
Witness video footage from multiple angles contradicts that version of events. Videos show Pretti with a cell phone in his hand, trying to help a woman up, when he is tackled by officers. Another officer appears to take Pretti’s gun off his person before at least nine gunshots go off.
Several videos emerge of Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis
Some immigration enforcement officials told NewNation they are growing frustrated with the narrative from DHS. They say it doesn’t necessarily align with the videos they’ve seen or what their colleagues are describing, sources told NewsNation on Monday.
One source criticized the idea of messaging outpacing an investigation, telling NewsNation: “When narratives get ahead of evidence, it undermines the public’s trust and increases the risk of further violence.”
