DHS Sec Noem Announces Body Cams Will Be Deployed ‘Immediately’ to All Agents in Minneapolis — Rolling Out Nationwide Soon

AP Photo/John Locher

Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced Monday that body cameras would be deployed to all federal agents under her agency who were in Minneapolis — a key demand from protesters and Democratic members of Congress.

The tactics used during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown have been loudly criticized and sparked nationwide protests, especially after two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, Renee Good on Jan. 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 by Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.

Video evidence taken by witnesses to both shootings has contradicted claims made by Trump administration officials, and been cited by those calling for reforms to immigration enforcement, including prohibiting federal agents from wearing masks and requiring the use of body cameras.

Monday afternoon, Noem posted on social media that she had spoken to Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar recently sent to oversee the situation in Minneapolis after Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was removed and sent back to California, and they had decided that “[e]ffective immediately,” they would be “deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.”

“As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide,” Noem added. “We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country.”

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt noted that this announcement from Noem “comes as Democrats have been trying to use the fight over government funding to force changes to ICE’s policies and tactics,” and “body cameras were part of that.”

Chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju concurred that it had “been a big push among Democrats…to require body cameras for all ICE officers,” and was “a step towards the direction that Democrats have been demanding, but Democrats have been asking for a lot more.”

“Beyond this, they want ICE officers to remove their masks, they want to change how judicial warrants are being issued, and they also want to change use of force policies for ICE officers and end roving patrols,” Raju continued. “Really going much further than many Republicans are willing to give. But that is the next fight. That is the next negotiation. The current negotiation is about how to fund most of the federal government.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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