DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visits Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
President Donald Trump rejected calls to fire Noem while addressing the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. He cited the "strongest border in the history of our country" in defending the secretary.
While speaking with Fox News Digital in Nogales, a city that is located just over the U.S.-Mexico border, Noem pointed at the rhetoric coming from state leadership as a catalyst behind the intensifying resistance from the public in Minnesota. Noem also said that the operations in cities with cooperative officials have gone over smoother, offering Memphis, Tenn., as an example.
"Minneapolis and St. Paul, the Twin Cities, have an opportunity to do the same thing that Memphis did. There we had a Democrat mayor who worked with us. It was about the same size a city, about the same amount of federal law enforcement officers were there, and we dramatically cut crime and murder rates and partnered well together," Noem said.
"It doesn't have to be this way. And the way that it has been in Minneapolis is largely due to the rhetoric and the actions of the leadership there because they won't partner with the federal government to enforce the law," she added.
From left to right, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Del Rio Sector Chief Anthony "Scott" Good assess progress made at Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
DHS SECRETARY NOEM STANDS BY BODY CAMERA REQUIREMENT FOR FEDERAL AGENTS FOLLOWING TRUMP COMMENTS
Noem said the people in Nogales were "thrilled" with the results of the administration's immigration crackdown, saying locals got "their way of life back." She added that former President Joe Biden's policies were "devastating" for the area.
Noem also spoke about DHS's efforts to block drugs from flowing through the country, something she said was a "crisis" under Biden.
"Well, we're here in Nogales, which under Joe Biden's policies, was a humanitarian crisis. In fact, through here was well known as a large drug trafficking area. They have a highway near here that is named 'Cocaine Highway' because the cartels moved so much drugs through here that was killing off the next generation of Americans," the secretary said.
From left to right, Paul Perez, president of the National Border Patrol Council, Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem assess progress made at Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)
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Despite mounting criticism, Noem touted the department's accomplishments, including the large numbers of deportations, both ones carried out by law enforcement and ones that occurred through "self-deportation." She noted that the administration was incentivizing more self deportations by offering free flights and $2,600 payments.
Noem also touched on the subject of DHS funding, which has been a source of tension between Democrats and Republicans. The debate over funding the department has the potential to spark another government shutdown. The secretary told Fox News Digital that just 11% of the DHS budget is allocated to ICE, while the rest goes to FEMA, TSA and other agencies under the department.
Despite the ongoing fighting over the funding, Noem said she is "hopeful" that Congress will recognize that DHS funding goes to more than immigration enforcement and that the bill would be passed "quickly."
Fox News Digital's Tessa Hoyos contributed to this report.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/noem-deploys-both-borders-says-ice-wont-deterred-sanctuary-officials-want-create-conflict