An order requiring all federal law enforcement personnel in Minnesota's Twin Cities region to wear body cameras comes as agents have "nothing to hide" during the surge operation there, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday.
The issue, Homan explained during a press conference, was raised by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, who said that "some officers and agents had them, some didn't.
"That inconsistency was unacceptable," he added.
Homan said he discussed the issue with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who approved the decision.
"We have nothing to hide," Homan said, adding that the American people "seek and deserve professional and trustworthy law enforcement."
Homan said $20 million included in a recent spending bill will help fund the body camera expansion and stressed that misconduct will not be tolerated.
"Any misconduct will not be tolerated and will be swiftly addressed," he said.
The Trump administration has moved to prioritize full body-camera deployment in the Twin Cities, with plans to expand the program nationwide, Homan added.
The announcement came as Homan detailed results from what he described as targeted immigration enforcement operations focused on public safety and national security threats.
He said ICE has arrested numerous criminal aliens during the surge in Minnesota, including 14 individuals with homicide convictions, 139 with assault convictions, 87 with sex offense convictions, and 28 confirmed gang members.
"We're taking a lot of bad people off the street," Homan said.
Homan said ICE enforcement efforts are being guided by targeted operations rather than broad sweeps.
"When we leave this building, we know who we're looking for," he said, describing operations based on criminal history and immigration records.
He emphasized that priority is given to those who pose the greatest threat.
"We have a criminal here, a non-criminal here. The criminal has to be arrested first because they're the biggest threat to the community," he said.
He added that while public safety threats are prioritized, others in the country illegally are not exempt from enforcement.
"If you're in the country illegally, you're not off the table," Homan said, reiterating that President Donald Trump intends to carry out mass deportations during his administration.
Homan said the combination of targeted enforcement, expanded body camera use, and increased coordination with local and state partners is intended to improve safety for officers, detainees, and the public, while restoring confidence in ICE operations.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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