Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday she will continue to stand with law enforcement as protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers spread across the country.
The demonstrations followed the shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer earlier this week. Noem said the woman attempted to drive her vehicle into the officer and described the incident as an act of domestic terrorism. The shooting has prompted protests in several cities and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement actions.
“I want to take a moment to express how thankful I am every single day for the men and women who put on the badge and put their lives on the line to protect the American people,” Noem said on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. “With more than 80,000 officers and agents, our Department is the largest law enforcement agency in the federal government.”
Noem suggested that Americans should take a moment to buy law enforcement officers coffee or a meal as a way to say thank you.
