President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is dispatching “border czar” Tom Homan to Minnesota following a second deadly immigration enforcement-involved shooting this month, a move that effectively sidelines Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and highlights growing internal tensions over the administration’s enforcement strategy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Homan would take direct charge of the situation on the ground.

“[Homan] has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there,” Trump wrote. “Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”

The decision comes amid reports of friction between Homan and Noem, the former South Dakota governor, over how aggressively to pursue deportations and whom to prioritize in enforcement actions. Homan and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons have pushed for a strategy focused on detaining undocumented immigrants with final removal orders and serious criminal histories. Noem and her senior advisers, including Corey Lewandowski and Border Patrol Commander-at-large Greg Bovino, have advocated for a broader approach aimed at maximizing overall deportation numbers.

The internal divide has taken on more significance following two fatal encounters involving federal officers in Minneapolis this month.

On Saturday, Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, after he was pinned down and had his 9mm handgun taken from him. Officials have not clarified whether Pretti, a licensed gun owner, had access to another weapon or why agents opened fire.

The shooting came just 17 days after the death of Renee Good, also 37, who was killed after accelerating her vehicle in the direction of an ICE officer during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

The incidents have sparked protests, drawn sharp criticism from Minnesota officials, and intensified questions surrounding federal enforcement tactics in the state.

Noem publicly welcomed Trump’s decision to send Homan, writing on X that the move was “good news for peace, safety, and accountability in Minneapolis.”

“I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team— his experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations,” Noem wrote.

However, a source close to the Department of Homeland Security told the NY Post that Trump’s move to elevate Homan’s role was “a bad sign for Noem,” who has drawn criticism for referring to the two shooting victims as “domestic terrorists.”

A White House official insisted that Noem retains the president’s support.

“Secretary Noem has the full trust and confidence of the President,” the official said. “Tom Homan is uniquely positioned to drop everything and focus solely on Minnesota to solve the problems that have been created by a lack of cooperation from state and local officials.”

Trump used his Truth Social post to link the unrest in Minnesota to a massive welfare fraud investigation, claiming that “at least partially” the scandal has fueled organized protests.

“Separately, a major investigation is going on with respect to the massive 20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesota,” Trump wrote.

Last month, then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson estimated that roughly half of $18 billion in Medicaid spending across 14 state programs since 2018 had been affected by fraud. Gov. Tim Walz has disputed that figure.

The fraud revelations helped prompt Operation Metro Surge, under which the administration has deployed approximately 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol personnel to the Twin Cities since last month.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)