All ICE officers will now wear body cameras, as promised by US Homeland Security Secretary Noem, following recent events in Minneapolis involving the deaths of two civilians. Specifically, all federal agents under the Department of Homeland Security will soon be equipped with body-worn cameras, initially in Minneapolis and subsequently throughout the rest of the United States, announced Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, a decision that responds to one of the Democratic demands to end the partial federal government shutdown.
Read: Minneapolis: FBI investigates civil rights violations in Alex Preti’s death by ICE agents
Following the death of a second protester opposing mass immigration arrests in Minneapolis from gunfire by federal agents, the US entered a state of fiscal paralysis last week, with congressional Democrats demanding reforms to law enforcement agencies’ operational methods before approving the department’s budget.
Minneapolis: Cameras, face covering ban and warrants required for federal officers
Among other demands, they want federal officers to wear cameras during operations, prohibit them from covering their faces, and require judicial warrants before any immigrant arrests. “I just spoke with Tom Homan and the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP),” Secretary Noem stated via X, as Homan, the selected “czar” tasked with overseeing the mass deportation policy, was sent by President Donald Trump to the northern US metropolis as part of efforts to restore law and order.
Effective immediately, we are distributing body cameras to all field agents in Minneapolis. Once funding becomes available, the body camera program will expand nationwide,” the secretary wrote, assuring that the program will be implemented “quickly” across the rest of the country. Characterizing the current administration as “the most transparent” in American “history,” she made sure to “thank” President Trump.
Minneapolis remains in shock following the death of nurse Alex Preti on January 24th, just weeks after that of Rene Good on January 7th, both killed by federal officers’ gunfire.
