DHS chief says body cameras are being deployed to every field officer in Minneapolis

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Monday her department was deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis effective immediately and would roll out the body camera program nationwide as funding becomes available.

“Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis. As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide,” Noem said on X.

The immigration enforcement policies of President Donald Trump’s administration have come under scrutiny after the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota last month by agents of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The killings have led to nationwide protests.

Human rights advocates have widely condemned Trump’s immigration policies as lacking due process and making the environment hostile for immigrant communities. Trump has cast his actions as being aimed at improving domestic security.

Trump also commented on Noem’s announcement on Monday, telling reporters that body cameras “generally tend to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what’s happening.”

“So it’s, generally speaking, I think 80%, good for law enforcement. But if she wants to do that, I’m okay with it,” Trump said, while adding the decision was made by Noem and not by him.

Noem’s announcement came after a call she had with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, Trump border czar Tom Homan, who has been tasked to take over operations in Minnesota, and acting ICE director Todd Lyons.

Noem said the Trump administration will “rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country.”

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; additional reporting by Steve Holland and Daphne Psaledakis; editing by Lincoln Feast.)