White House Border Czar Tom Homan offered a staunch defense Sunday of the ICE officer involved in the deadly Minneapolis shooting, arguing the agent likely believed his life was in danger while simultaneously blaming “hateful rhetoric” and sanctuary city policies for the violence.
In a tense appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Homan told host Kristen Welker that the public must consider the officer’s perspective during the encounter with Renee Good. He described a chaotic scene involving protest interference and a “4,000-pound vehicle” allegedly revving its engine toward the agent.
“I truly believe this officer, in his mind, thought his life was in danger, which allows him to use lethal force,” Homan said, noting that assaults on ICE officers have skyrocketed. “I’ve said, from March, if the hateful rhetoric doesn’t decline, there’s going to be bloodshed. I’ve seen this movie before. And unfortunately, I was right.”
READ: Comedian Rob Schneider Goes Off On Minneapolis Mayor For Fanning Flames After ICE Shooting
While Homan insisted that the investigation, which is now in the hands of the FBI, needs to “play out” before final judgments are made, Welker pressed him on whether the administration had already tipped the scales. She noted that President Trump stated Good “viciously” ran over the officer, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the incident an “act of domestic terrorism.”
“How can the public trust the investigation when there has already been this judgment passed down by the president and some of his top officials?” Welker asked.
Homan stopped short of providing evidence for the “domestic terrorism” designation when challenged. Instead, he pivoted the conversation toward the local politics of Minneapolis. He argued that ICE agents are forced to conduct high-risk targeted enforcement operations in public streets only because local “sanctuary” policies prevent them from making arrests within the safety of county jails.
READ: New Graphic POV Video Released In Deadly Minneapolis ICE Shooting
“If you want less officers in the street, then let us in the jail,” Homan argued, claiming that current policies create a “public safety trap” by releasing dangerous individuals back into the community.
Homan maintained that the interference by protesters—which he characterized as illegal—compounded the danger for everyone involved. “It’s not okay to impede and interfere with an officer,” he stated, comparing the situation to citizens blocking the FBI or U.S. Marshals.
The interview highlighted the deepening rift between the federal administration and local governments in sanctuary jurisdictions, with Homan signaling that the White House views the Minneapolis tragedy as a direct consequence of local resistance to federal immigration enforcement.
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