Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is confronting a severe crisis of confidence as her agency's aggressive deportation operations in Minnesota trigger widespread public backlash and internal government divisions. The latest polling data reveals a dramatic erosion of support for the embattled secretary, with political pressure mounting from multiple directions.
Polling Reveals Dramatic Loss of Public Support
The most recent Daily Mail/JL Partners survey, conducted on January 26 among over 1,000 registered voters, paints a bleak picture for Secretary Noem. Her approval rating has plummeted to a mere 33 percent, representing a significant decline from the 37 percent recorded just last month. Meanwhile, her disapproval rating has surged to 41 percent, up from 37 percent in December.
Perhaps most alarming for Noem's political future are the numbers indicating widespread desire for her removal from office. The poll reveals that 46 percent of respondents believe she should be impeached, while 42 percent say President Donald Trump should dismiss her from her position. The survey carries a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
Minnesota Shooting Intensifies Scrutiny
The decline in Noem's approval coincides directly with heightened controversy surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota. Public dissatisfaction has intensified following Saturday's fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse for the Department of Veterans Affairs, by a Border Patrol agent.
Graphic videos of the incident circulated rapidly across social media platforms, showing multiple angles of the confrontation. The footage reveals that Pretti, who was armed with a handgun and ammunition magazines, had been disarmed by more than half a dozen agents before being shot approximately ten times in the back.
Noem quickly characterized Pretti as a domestic terrorist, a designation that President Trump has notably refrained from endorsing, suggesting potential hesitation within the administration regarding the secretary's narrative of events.
Internal Government Rifts Widen
The Minnesota operations have exposed significant fractures within the Trump administration's immigration enforcement apparatus. Following the shooting, President Trump announced that Border Czar Tom Homan would assume operational control of deportations in Minnesota, a move that highlights tensions between competing approaches.
Sources indicate that Homan, a law enforcement veteran since the 1980s, prefers focusing deportation efforts on criminal illegal aliens. In contrast, Noem reportedly prioritizes increasing overall deportation numbers, aiming to remove anyone residing in the United States illegally.
This philosophical divide has reportedly created friction between Noem and several key officials, including Homan, ICE acting Director Todd Lyons, and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott. The secretary's approach, allegedly bolstered by her deputy Cory Lewandowski, has placed her at odds with established enforcement priorities.
Republican Support Shows Cracks
The controversy is creating unusual divisions within Republican ranks. According to the January survey, 23 percent of Republicans now view ICE unfavorably, while 27 percent of GOP voters support disbanding the agency entirely. Additionally, 19 percent of Republicans believe ICE and CBP raids in major U.S. cities should cease, though 71 percent want them to continue.
Regarding the Pretti shooting, only 43 percent of Republicans consider the killing justified, with 35 percent uncertain and 22 percent declaring it unjustified. These numbers suggest significant unease within the president's political base about current enforcement tactics.
Republican lawmakers have expressed reservations about the Minnesota operations. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, suggested during a Sunday interview that Trump should withdraw federal law enforcement from the state if local officials continue to place ICE personnel in dangerous situations.
Political Fallout and Impeachment Efforts
Democratic members of Congress have already initiated formal impeachment proceedings against Secretary Noem, circulating a resolution that has garnered more than 120 signatures. However, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, this liberal-led effort faces substantial political hurdles.
Meanwhile, President Trump has engaged in unexpected diplomatic outreach to Minnesota officials who have previously criticized his administration. Following phone conversations with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, Trump posted on social media that he and Walz were on the "same wavelength" and that "lots of progress is being made" with Frey.
These conciliatory messages represent a dramatic shift from previous hostile exchanges, during which Trump accused both Democratic officials of supporting insurrection in their state. The evolving political dynamics surrounding immigration enforcement in Minnesota continue to reshape alliances and create unexpected tensions within both major political parties.
