Every Homeland Security officer in Minneapolis is now being issued a body-worn camera, Noem says

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Every Homeland Security officer on the ground in Minneapolis, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, will be immediately issued body-worn cameras, Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday, in the latest fallout after the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal officers sparked widespread outrage.

Noem made the announcement on the social media platform X. She said the body-worn camera program is being expanded nationwide as funding becomes available.

“We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country,” Noem said in the social media post.

The news of the body cameras comes as Minneapolis has been the site of intense scrutiny over the conduct of immigration enforcement officers after two U.S. citizens protesting immigration enforcement activities in the city were shot and killed.

There have been increased calls by critics of Homeland Security to require all of the department’s officers who are responsible for immigration enforcement to wear body cameras.

President Joe Biden ordered in 2022 that federal law enforcement officers wear body cameras as part of an executive order that included other policing reform measures. President Donald Trump had rescinded that directive after starting his second term.

Noem’s move comes after Trump over the weekend endorsed the idea of body cameras for immigration officers.

Trump was asked by a reporter as he flew to Florida if he thought it was a good thing having lots of cameras capturing incidents with law enforcement.

“I think it would help law enforcement but I’d have to talk to them,” Trump said.