The Department of Homeland Security is outfitting federal immigration authorities in Minneapolis with body cameras “immediately,” following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“I just spoke with @RealTomHoman @ICEDirector @CBPCommissioner,” Noem wrote in a post to X on Monday. “Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.”
Noem added that as funding becomes available from Congress, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide.
“We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country,” Noem said. “The most transparent administration in American history—thank you @POTUS Trump. Make America Safe Again.”
I just spoke with @RealTomHoman @ICEDirector @CBPCommissioner. Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis.
As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide. We will rapidly acquire and deploy body…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) February 2, 2026
In January, federal police from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as two employees from Customs and Border Protection, fatally shot two people who protested or interfered in immigration enforcement operations. The two deceased were identified as Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Asked about the decision later on Monday, President Donald Trump said it was not his decision to outfit federal police in Minneapolis with the cameras.
“They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can’t lie about what’s happening,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Reporter: Kristi Noem just announced that you’re deploying body cameras to Minneapolis. What’s your thinking behind this decision?
Trump: It wasn’t my decision. They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can’t lie about what’s happening. pic.twitter.com/QQpptGIQJX
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 2, 2026
Body cameras have been adopted by many state and local law enforcement agencies over the past few years as a result of controversial police shootings that led to activists demanding that police actions be recorded.
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Thousands of Border Patrol agents who work along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona were expected to be outfitted with the cameras in 2020 as a result of congressional funding approved during Trump’s first term in office.
Lawmakers in Congress had pushed for years for a mandate that immigration and border law enforcement officers be required to wear recording devices. CBP has studied for five years how to implement a body camera policy but faced blowback from the National Border Patrol Council union.
