WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, on Tuesday publicly urged President Donald Trump to immediately dismiss Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of catastrophic leadership failures after a string of deadly federal law enforcement shootings in Minnesota ignited national unrest.
In a blunt appeal addressed directly to the president, Fetterman said Americans had died under Noem’s watch and warned Trump not to repeat what he described as President Biden’s mistake of keeping an “incompetent” DHS secretary in place. He said Noem was betraying the department’s core mission and jeopardizing Trump’s border security legacy.
The remarks came as scrutiny intensified over the Department of Homeland Security’s role in a controversial immigration enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge, which has been linked to multiple fatal encounters between federal agents and civilians in Minneapolis neighborhoods this month.
The first shooting occurred January 7, when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renée Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, during a traffic stop in south Minneapolis. A second fatal incident followed January 14 with the death of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Tensions escalated further January 24, when federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse and lawful gun owner, during a confrontation in the Whittier neighborhood.
Video footage circulating publicly appeared to contradict initial DHS statements about the Pretti shooting. Noem had said Pretti brandished a weapon and posed an imminent threat to agents, but bystander videos showed him holding a phone before being tackled. His holstered firearm had reportedly already been removed by an agent before shots were fired.
The shootings triggered massive protests across Minnesota, culminating in what organizers described as the first statewide general strike in the United States in roughly 80 years. Activist groups have also announced plans for a broader National Shutdown aimed at halting economic activity in protest of federal immigration enforcement tactics.
Noem has faced mounting bipartisan criticism for publicly labeling those killed as domestic terrorists and assassins before investigations were completed. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said the secretary appeared out of her depth and should be out of a job, adding pressure to an already volatile political situation.
Beyond the Minnesota incidents, Noem’s tenure has been dogged by allegations of ethical and procedural misconduct. House Democrats have introduced three articles of impeachment accusing her of obstructing congressional oversight, authorizing warrantless arrests, and engaging in self-dealing by steering a secret federal contract to a firm run by a personal friend.
Additional scrutiny has focused on a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign that benefited a firm with close ties to Noem and her aides, despite the company not appearing in public contract disclosures. DHS funding has also become entangled in broader budget negotiations, raising the prospect of a partial government shutdown.
Despite the intensifying backlash, President Trump has continued to publicly defend Noem, describing her performance as very good and offering no indication he intends to remove her.
Fetterman’s statement added to the growing chorus demanding accountability, signaling that pressure on the White House over DHS leadership is likely to intensify as investigations and protests continue.
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