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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Woman Shot and Killed by ICE Agent in Minneapolis; Kristi Noem Speaks After Fatal ICE Shooting; Noem Claims Incident was "Act of Domestic Terrorism"; U.S. Seizes Oil Tankers Linked to Venezuela; Rubio to Discuss Greenland with Danish Officials. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired January 07, 2026 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF": Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and
you're watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, the governor of Minnesota says that he is prepared to deploy the National Guard after an immigration agent shot a woman dead in
Minneapolis, a U.S. citizen. The U.S. seizes two so-called shadow fleet tankers linked to Venezuela. And U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says
he will discuss the future of Greenland with officials from Denmark.
We do begin though with the reaction to the shocking events in video of a woman in her car shot at close range by a U.S. federal immigration officer
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here is the video, a warning, it is disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car. Get out of the car.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. Oh, my -- God. What the -- what the -- did you do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: A woman, who we know is a mother, shot and killed. We should point out we are now working at CNN to obtain video showing what happened
immediately before that deadly encounter. The victim, 37 years old, a U.S. citizen. Listen to the explanation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi
Noem and a quite different reaction from the mayor of Minneapolis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTI NOEM, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: It was an act of domestic terrorism. What happened was our ICE officers were out in enforcement
action. They got stuck in the snow because of the adverse weather that is in Minneapolis.
JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA MAYOR: They were attempting to push out their vehicle and a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and
attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively shot to protect himself and the people
around him. And my understanding is that she was hit and is deceased.
They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. Having seen the video of myself, I want to tell everybody directly, that is
bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: That deadly shooting has prompted widespread protests on the street. Many people confronting law enforcement. The governor of Minnesota,
Tim Walz, says the National Guard is ready if needed. He had this to say about the federal immigration crackdown in his state.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D-MN): We've been warning for weeks that the Trump administration's dangerous sensationalized operations are a threat to our
public safety. That someone was going to get hurt. Just yesterday, I said exactly that. What we're seeing is the consequences of governance designed
to generate fear, headlines and conflict. It's governing by reality TV. And today, that recklessness costs someone their life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: President Trump gave his reaction on Truth Social. He wrote, quote, "The woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and
resisting, who then violently, willfully and viciously ran over the ICE officer who seems to have shot her in self-defense." The video doesn't back
up that statement. The president included this next video in his Truth Social post, which does appear to show the ICE agent getting bumped by the
vehicle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Oh, my -- God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[18:05:00]
SCIUTTO: Priscilla Alvarez covers immigration for us, and she's standing by. Priscilla, what do we know about what preceded that deadly interaction?
And what the driver was attempting to do, as far as we know?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're still trying to gather details as to what happened prior to the images and the videos that we have
seen and that you just showed. But to set the scene here, Jim, this is, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the largest immigration
operation to date under President Donald Trump's second term that they have launched in Minnesota.
In fact, just yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was on the ground in Minneapolis riding along with ICE officers during their targeted
operations. What they have said about this incident is that there was a targeted operation ongoing in that location when this all began and ended
with the killing of this woman. They have said in their statement that she had, quote, "weaponized her vehicle and attempting to run over our law
enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them," this is from the Department of Homeland Security. They are arguing the ICE officer then
fired, quote, "defensive shots."
But we also heard from the police chief during a press conference that also happened later, who he described this as federal law enforcement
approaching the vehicle on foot. And then as she drove off, that is when shots were fired.
And this really turns on what happened with that vehicle, because from some angles, it appears that she is just driving off and not necessarily ramming
law enforcement officers. There appears to be a bump. But at the same time, sources I've been talking with say that just by nature of this video, just
looking at this video, it doesn't appear to justify these -- the deadly action that was taken by firing shots at her. These are the types of
questions that would be answered in an investigation internally as well as others, and that is something that the state officials have been saying
that they are going to launch.
The other part of this, however, Jim, is that this comes against the backdrop of there already being a lot of doubt when it comes to the
Department of Homeland Security's statements. And the reason for that is because last year in Chicago, when there were protesters and federal agents
clashing, the narrative from the Department of Homeland Security, in at least one instance, was found to not be truthful, according to a federal
judge who had reviewed all of the evidence of that incident, including video and testimony from those involved.
So, this is at a moment where the administration is touting this immigration operation in the state, one that has been happening against the
backdrop of the heightened political climate with the president's inflammatory rhetoric of the Somali community specifically in Minnesota,
but also against the backdrop of the administration already coming under scrutiny over their statements that they released very quickly after these
incidents.
Because I will say that some of the statement that I just read to you from the Department of Homeland Security really came very quickly after this
incident. Typically, and I've covered this for a long time, we would hear from the Department of Homeland Security if they're reviewing the footage
that they are going to launch an investigation. But in this case, we got more of a narrative from the Department of Homeland Security.
Now, again, they may know things that we just don't know yet. We know that the secretary is returning to Minneapolis. She's expected to be there
tonight. And perhaps she will answer more of the questions and perhaps shed light on what the Department of Homeland Security has been able to gather
in terms of facts. But at this moment, we have been reviewing the video that you played.
What's clear is that a woman has died in this incident, and it was an ICE- involved shooting. And this is really marking what only 24 hours ago the Department of Homeland Security was touting as their biggest operation so
far.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Priscilla Alvarez, thanks so much. We're joined now by a former acting director of ICE. I do first want to show video of the
incident again, this time from a different angle. It's just awful to watch. We must acknowledge that. We are going to show the moment of the shooting
slowed down. We're not doing this gratuitously. Please be aware these are disturbing images. We're doing this just so we can get to the details of
the moment when the officer fired his gun. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[18:10:00]
SCIUTTO: It's awful. John Sandweg, as I noted, former acting director of ICE, also former acting general counsel of the Department of Homeland
Security. He's now a partner at Nixon Peabody. John, you've looked at these videos. Justifiable use of force?
JOHN SANDWEG, FORMER ACTING DIRECTOR, U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: Jim, I think it's too soon to tell. Certainly, the videos
raise really troubling questions. It's incredibly disturbing to watch. Unquestionably, it's a tragedy, but this is why there's standard protocols
when you have an officer involved shooting that call for investigations.
Again, like I said, I'm troubled by it, but what I want to know is more information. What happened before? What led us up to that? What was the
officer thinking? What was he thinking at the moment he caused the shots? Part of the problem with these videos, too, are those cameras give you just
different angles. I would like to see some -- you know, some ballistics work in terms of just the angles of the shots where they were fired and,
more importantly, talk to some of the other officers who were on the scenes.
But I think, Jim, what this also tells me is how irresponsible really that department statement was, rushing out to draw these conclusions right away
that this was a defensible shooting. The bottom line is there are reasons to be concerned here. We just don't know yet. We need an investigation.
SCIUTTO: Even clear factual errors, the Department of Homeland Security secretary saying that the driver ran over the agent. Clearly that's not
true from the video. Our John Miller noted two things on the air a short time ago, one that the current policy for DHS says law enforcement officers
are prohibited from shooting at moving vehicles unless the vehicle puts the officer in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm or other
officers, but also, two, that they have to take into account the danger to innocent bystanders of an out-of-control vehicle if the driver is wounded
or killed, as was in this case. Does this use of force comport with that policy based on what you can see?
SANDWEG: Jim, that's a million-dollar question, right? It's -- we look at it from the officer's perspective. Given the circumstances the officer was
facing, given what he saw from his position, was there a reasonable basis for him to believe that his life or the life of his fellow agents was in
danger?
But, Jim, I'll tell you this. One thing that I also want to know about this case that I think is really relevant for the public to know is what was the
background of the particular agent who did the shooting, right? Was this a new hire potentially? I have no information that says it was, but was it a
new hire? We know that the department has lowered the standards for hiring.
We know that they've shortened the training. It's at that basic training where these use-of-force rules get drilled into you. And, of course, the
more experience you have, the better judgment you have in saying, hey, we'll get this person later. We don't need to -- you know what I'm saying,
this is not a situation of open fire. This is not a legitimate threat. Just get out of the way. But these are the questions we need to answer.
And, again, you know, listen, I think a lot of people have been drawing conclusions based on the videos. I really don't think you can objectively
do that given these standards. However, I do think it's especially irresponsible for the department itself to act like this is an open-and-
shut case and it was a very defensible shooting. The videos doesn't make that clear. But, again, all these questions about experience and training
are ones that the public has a right to know.
SCIUTTO: The thing is, though, John, that this does not happen in a vacuum. We've seen a number of often violent interactions between ICE
agents and people that they're picking up on suspicion of being here illegal, but also people who just get in their way, right, protesters
thrown to the ground, et cetera.
Looking at the posture of ICE officers across the board based on what you've seen, because the training involves an element of de-escalation,
right? Are you seeing officers by habit here de-escalating or escalating these situations?
SANDWEG: Jim, look, I always am very defensive of the workforce. I mean, I've worked with ICE agents. I think that, by and large, the vast majority
of them got into this for the right reasons. I think we've put them in a very difficult position. I think the administration has called on them to
confront these protesters, to do work that ICE wasn't built to do that these agents aren't trained to do. I think that has created a tense
environment. First of all, when you're the one, the ICE agents are the ones these protesters are protesting. So, when you start to police them, it
escalates things, right?
Later in the day, the state and local police showed up, and there were protests, but they were orderly and they were peaceful. But having the ICE
agents engage ups the ante. And, yes, I think that agents have been rewarded for having confrontations, and I think all of that plays a role.
Jim, I'll say something quickly. I've talked to a number of retired agents, people who spent their lives carrying a gun as an ICE agent, and they tell
me that they're really concerned that because of this tension, both on the ICE side and with these protesters' side, that it's not a question of if we
see another incident like this, but really a question of when.
SCIUTTO: John Sandweg, thanks so much for joining.
SANDWEG: Thank you.
[18:15:00]
SCIUTTO: Well, as we discussed, President Trump quite quickly accepted Homeland Security's explanation for the deadly shooting. He posted on Truth
Social, quote, "The woman's screaming was obviously a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing
and resisting, who then violently, willfully and viciously ran over the ICE officer who seems to have shot her in self-defense. The situation is being
studied in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the radical left is threatening, assaulting and targeting our law
enforcement officers and ICE agents on a daily basis."
We should note again that factually, no, the videos show quite clearly that the ICE officer was not being run over.
Joining me now, Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum, who represents a district in Minnesota. Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining.
REP. BETTY MCCOLLUM (D-MN): Thank you. I represent St. Paul and it's a tragedy what happened in the twin city of ours in Minneapolis today. So, to
the family who no longer has a family member to join them at the dinner table, our condolences.
SCIUTTO: Yes. And a mother of a four-year-old, as we understand it now. Does the evidence as you see it, these videos from multiple angles, show
this to be a legal or illegal use of deadly force, in your view?
MCCOLLUM: I have real strong concerns and I've expressed them. I think this is an illegal use of force. From what I have witnessed in videos, I
didn't see any of the ICE officers in immediate danger. From what I have watched with the way that all the ICE agents walked away from the
situation, and I'm grateful no one else was injured, raises real concerns about shooting at a moving car, as your former guest just talked about, as
well as an overuse of force. They escalated the situation, and they escalated even more by killing someone.
SCIUTTO: You heard the comments of the mayor of Minneapolis earlier saying that ICE is claiming to be making the city safer, but is in fact making it
less safe. When you speak to your constituents, do they believe that these ICE raids, that this large ICE presence, makes them safer or less safe?
MCCOLLUM: I think people feel less safe in their communities. We have business owners in Minneapolis and St. Paul and other places around
Minnesota that have employees that are afraid to come to work, even employees who are illegal citizens because they're afraid they could be
grabbed and not be able to pick their kids up from school. There is real fear for many, many of my constituents and Minnesotans about the way ICE is
conducting itself.
SCIUTTO: Mayor Frey has demanded ICE leave Minneapolis. Do you call on them to leave as well?
MCCOLLUM: Well, in a statement earlier today, I asked Secretary Noem to cease and desist with ICE actions right now. We need to have an
investigation. We need to let our local law enforcement work with the FBI to collect evidence. Everybody needs to take a time out.
ICE agents need to learn how to de-escalate situations. And Secretary Noem shouldn't be just handed a press briefing without checking any of the facts
in my opinion and saying what she said. So, we need a time out on this.
SCIUTTO: If there is no federal investigation or prosecution of this deadly shooting, should there be a state investigation or prosecution if
the evidence warrants?
MCCOLLUM: If Minnesota is allowed to do that, I trust that our attorney general and our governor will do that. We respect law enforcement in
Minnesota, but we call out those bad actors. Because when those people act in a way in which someone is murdered or seriously harmed and escalates a
situation, that doesn't help the rest of our law enforcement community. It hurts them.
SCIUTTO: Senator Chris Murphy has noted that Congress will soon vote on funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Should Democrats vote
against that funding until there is a full federal investigation?
MCCOLLUM: Well, we'll see what happens. I'm a member of the Appropriations Committee. They're wrapping up those bills yet. I don't know that they're
all finally agreed on in Homeland Security. And that's always a difficult bill to get passed off the floor. And I know people on my side of the
aisle, Democrats, I'm a DFLer, we're going to be making sure that there's safeguards in there.
And you know, these ICE agents that have been, you know, signed up, they've done it for bonuses, for money, their training's been cut short. They've
cut back the standards. And once again, I just want to say, when this happens to law enforcement, and the training isn't there, the high
standards aren't put in place, and you have instances like this happen, it makes it more difficult and more dangerous for the public to trust all law
enforcement. And I don't want to see that happen. So, there needs to be accountability. There needs to be justice.
[18:20:00]
SCIUTTO: We're showing live pictures as you speak now, and to that point, you're seeing large numbers of protesters come out. You probably saw
earlier some of those protesters throwing snowballs at law enforcement and ICE agents as they left the area. Governor Walz has called on -- or at
least raised the possibility of deploying the National Guard. Do you think that's a necessary step at this point to make sure that things don't get
further out of hand?
MCCOLLUM: Governor Walz did what he needed to do by putting the National Guard on standby. And that just lets the teachers, the doctors, the
lawyers, the mechanics, the snowplow drivers that are also serving in our National Guard know that they might be called up.
I trust our National Guard. Our National Guard has served us well in Minnesota. What we don't want is we do not want President Trump to decide
to bring in another National Guard into Minnesota. We don't need that. We can take care of our own.
SCIUTTO: Congresswoman Betty McCollum, we do appreciate you taking the time to join us this evening.
MCCOLLUM: Thank you.
SCIUTTO: Coming up on "The Brief," the U.S. military has seized two oil tankers tied to Venezuela. It could also worsen tensions with Russia, we'll
explain coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Well, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has now arrived in Minneapolis after this deadly shooting by ICE officers. She's
speaking now. Let's listen in.
KRISTI NOEM, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: They began blocking them in, shouting at them and impeding law enforcement operations. ICE officers
and agents approached the vehicle of the individual in question, who was blocking the officers in with her vehicle. And she had been stalking and
impeding their work all throughout the day. ICE agents repeatedly ordered her to get out of the car and to stop obstructing law enforcement, but she
refused to obey their commands. She then proceeded to weaponize her vehicle, and she attempted to run a law enforcement officer over.
It will -- this appears as an attempt to kill or to cause bodily harm to agents, an act of domestic terrorism. The ICE officer, fearing for his life
and the other officers around him and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training to save his own life and that of his
colleagues. He was treated at a local hospital, has been released, and is now with family. I encourage the American people at this point in time to
pray for him, but also to pray for the deceased's family and her loved ones.
Today alone in this country, there have been four different domestic terrorist attacks on federal officers by the ramming of vehicles. Three of
them happened here in Minneapolis. We've seen over 100 of these vehicle rammings happen in just recent weeks, and this must stop.
ICE alone is facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults against them and an 8,000 percent increase in death threats against all of them. In fact,
the very same officer who was attacked today had previously been dragged by an anti-ICE rioter who had rammed him with a car and drug him back in June.
He sustained injuries at that time as well.
And let me remind you why we're all here in this city today and why we've been here. In communities across this country and here in Minneapolis,
we're just enforcing the laws that we have in this country. For years under President Biden, tens of millions of dangerous, criminal, illegal aliens,
terrorists, and suspected terrorists were allowed to invade our country over our southern border. They were allowed to steal, to defraud, and to
perpetuate violence against American citizens.
Regardless of who your mayor or who your governor is, President Trump promised every single American that he would make America safe again. He
promised every single American that he would work to protect them from dangerous criminals.
Since Governor Walz has been in charge of Minnesota, we have seen homicides go up by over 50 percent. That's also during Mayor Frey's tenure as well.
Since President Trump took office, Governor Walz has released over 470 violent criminals back onto the streets here in Minneapolis.
[18:25:00]
He has another 680 of them still within his jurisdiction that he could give to us today to face the consequences for their crimes. Because Governor
Walz and Mayor Frey refused to protect Minnesotans, and instead they protect these criminals, that's why we are here. And we didn't just show up
yesterday, we've always been here. But we're surging operations because of the dangerous situation we see in this country, and because we're no longer
going to allow illegal criminals to damage and harm, to kill, to sexually abuse, to proliferate drugs, and to steal American taxpayers' dollars.
This state has faced unprecedented immigration fraud. It's seen unprecedented benefit fraud. Individuals were allowed to come into this
country and set up fake companies and fake non-profits and divert billions of dollars away from American citizens and those vulnerable citizens who
truly needed the services from those programs.
This city has burned before, and your mayor and your governor let it happen. President Trump is not going to let that happen. He and our federal
law enforcement officers are here to bring peace and to bring public safety and to ensure that criminal activity is stopped and that people who
perpetuate it will face consequences.
Since we have been here in recent weeks, we have arrested over 1,500 criminals off of the streets. Our law enforcement has arrested murderers,
known and suspected terrorists, child pedophiles, and other brutal criminals that were protected here in this city. We should all work
together to protect our citizens.
We should all protect the men and the women and the families who live here in Minneapolis, who live in Minnesota, and live throughout this entire
country. I want to thank you for being here, and I want to thank you for focusing on the important work that our federal officers do and make sure
that we're focused on the priorities of this country, and that's making sure that we're keeping people safe. With that, I'll take any questions
that you may have.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary Noem, Mayor Frey called the claims of self- defense BS. How do you respond to that?
NOEM: I say that he doesn't know what he's talking about. It's very clear that this individual was harassing and impeding law enforcement operations.
Our officer followed his training, did exactly what he's been taught to do in that situation, and took actions to defend himself and defend his fellow
law enforcement officers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary, can you expand on the agent's injuries? The president said that he's lucky to be alive.
NOEM: The officer was hit by the vehicle. She hit him. He went to the hospital. A doctor did treat him. He has been released, but he's going to
spend some time with his family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you clarify whether he was hit before or after the gunshots were fired?
NOEM: I can't, but the FBI will continue the investigation and release more facts when it's appropriate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary Noem, has the agent been relieved of his duty for law? Can you give us any other --
NOEM: No, we're following the standard protocol procedures we do in situations like this. When there's an officer involved shooting, we make
sure that we get the facts and that we are getting the statements from everybody involved and make sure that investigators are handling the
decisions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary Noem, have ICE operations paused because of what happened today?
NOEM: No, we're still out on the streets doing our work to get dangerous criminals off of the streets of Minneapolis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you give us any insight into your conversation with the governor?
NOEM: You know, Tim and I have known each other for years. We served in Congress together. We both ran for governor the same year and have served
as governor at the same times. So, we were colleagues and we discussed what happened here today. We have two very different viewpoints of it. I talked
specifically about the fact that we have laws that need to be enforced. He knows that I believe sanctuary policies have protected criminals and placed
a priority of them over the citizens that live here, and he knows we'll continue to do our work and I encouraged him to work with us. We've never
had a cooperative arrangement with law enforcement here.
Whenever we've done investigations, whenever we've done police work, whenever we've been doing what we can to bring people to justice for the
crimes that they commit, we haven't had the cooperation of the state of Minnesota or the city police here under the mayor's direction.
If you talk to any of these federal law enforcement officers, they'll say that when they call for backup in a situation that it's hit and miss. They
were grateful today that the police chief and local law enforcement showed up at the scene and helped secure it to make sure that nobody was harmed
and that the FBI could do their work, but I would encourage them to work with us, that we could form a partnership that would make sure that
individuals have the opportunity to have a safe Minneapolis.
Over here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will body cameras be released --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you stand behind the use of force and will any of those use of force guidelines be altered or changed in the future?
NOEM: You know, it's clearly established law that a vehicle driven by a person and used to harm someone is a deadly weapon. Deadly force is
perfectly lawful when a threat is faced by a weapon.
[18:30:00]
So, I do believe that this officer used his training in this situation and will let the FBI continue the investigation to get it resolved.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, just to be clear, the shooting happened before or after the vehicle hit the officer?
NOEM: I know you keep asking that, but that doesn't mean that the FBI is going to give you an answer today. There will be an investigation. We want
to make sure that it's factual. What I would ask is that as we go forward from here today, that we all remember that our job is to have peaceful
discussions. I'd encourage our local law enforcement and state law enforcement to work with us.
We are going to continue to operate here in Minneapolis and in the state of Minnesota to make sure we're going after dangerous criminals. One of the
key focuses that we've had here is a focus on individuals who are sexual predators and are involved in child exploitation. When I was just here
yesterday, we arrested individuals who were charged with criminal assault and sexual assault and people that exploited children. Why would you want
to keep them on your streets?
President Trump has promised to go after the worst of the worst, and that's exactly what we're doing in Minneapolis. By not working with us, Governor
Walz and Mayor Frey are putting those criminals and prioritizing them over our children and our grandchildren.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Governor Walz said that he is not going to get his hands up when there is --
NOEM: That's simply not true. He said that to me on the phone, too. So, I'll get him the documentation that he needs so that he knows that we would
love to coordinate with him. He doesn't give us access to any information on criminals, let us know who he's detained, doesn't honor our detainers,
and has individuals and criminals in his jurisdiction that he won't turn over us today to. Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You mentioned that the officer involved today was once before rammed by a vehicle. Can you explain the difference between
that instance and today? Was there a firearm discharge then? If not, what was the big difference?
NOEM: I won't speak to that case right now, but we can get you the details and the information on that. But the fact of the matter is, he is an
experienced officer. He's been in situations like this before, and he certainly has been out there and followed his training today.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This a threat of vehicle (INAUDIBLE) are you going to change the way things are --
NOEM: You know, people need to stop using their vehicles as weapons.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you going to change the --
NOEM: This domestic act of terrorism to use your vehicle to try to kill law enforcement officers is going to stop. And I'm asking the Department of
Justice to prosecute it as domestic terrorism, because it's clear that it's being coordinated. People are being trained and told how to use their
vehicles to impede law enforcement operations, and then to run over anybody who gets in their way while they go out there and try to disrupt peace and
public safety. And Americans deserve better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, can you say why (INAUDIBLE) the National Guard -- deploying the National Guard?
NOEM: That hasn't been a part of the discussion. I know Governor Walz mentioned some of that earlier in his press conference, but we've got law
enforcement officers here that will continue to work, and we're hopeful that the public recognizes that the work that we do every day makes America
safe again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you give insight into the operation that was happening at 34th and Portland?
NOEM: We had law enforcement officers that were out there doing an enforcement action, and a vehicle got stuck in the snow, and so they had
called for other people to come and help them get that vehicle out. Those officers were trying to free the vehicle when the harassment started, when
the protesters were out there impeding their vehicles and preventing them from leaving the scene.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it at a particular home or business in that intersection?
NOEM: I won't speak to that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you speak to the crime that person may be committed, that you were going after? You mentioned sexual crime. OK. Will
body camera footage be released?
NOEM: We'll let the FBI decide.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were they on target today when they were in that neighborhood?
NOEM: They were returning back to headquarters, I believe, to start a new operation, had just completed one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was it an ICE vehicle --
NOEM: Well, thank you. What's that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was it an ICE vehicle that they had --
NOEM: It was one of the vehicles that ICE officers were using, but remember, when we operate, we operate in a task force model. So, we have
other federal agencies that work with us, and we're very grateful for that. We have CBP officers, the FBI, DEA, ATF, all of those all work with us
every day in a task force model, and we appreciate it. We'd love to have the state police, and we'd also love to have the Minneapolis police chief
and his team be alongside of us while we're out there doing those enforcement operations.
With that, we'll get you more information as it is revealed, but thank you. And everybody, let's work together to make sure that we can continue to
help the city be safer, get more criminals off the streets, and ensure that our public has the opportunity to pursue the American dream in a city they
can be proud of. Thank you.
SCIUTTO: You were listening there to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, doubling down, one might say, on the DHS's
explanation of the deadly shooting of a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis, mother of a four-year-old, that it was an attempted act of domestic
terrorism, she says, and that the driver was, she says, attempting to or threatening to kill the ICE agent. We played the video of that incident
before. We'll allow our viewers to make their own judgment.
[18:35:00]
Joining me now Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna. Congresswoman, thanks so much for taking the time.
REP. ANNA PAULINA LUNA (R-FL): Thank you for having me.
SCIUTTO: So, you've watched these videos and there are more than one of them of this interaction here, which ended in the death of a 37-year-old
woman. Based on what you've seen, was that a necessary use of deadly force?
LUNA: Look, I know that there's an ongoing investigation and before I speculate as to the angles of which I saw, as you know, X has a lot of
these videos floating around. I just want to encourage people to pray for the family, but then also pray for the ICE officer.
The situation that transpired is obviously not a good situation and to even be put in that position is just not good. So, I don't want to speculate
because I understand that my position does hold influence on that and I don't want to interfere with the investigation currently run by the FBI,
but we will be holding all the parties above in prayer.
SCIUTTO: Understood. Fair point. I want to move on now to the subject of Venezuela, a topic I know that you've been following very closely.
Following a classified briefing, some House Democrats say that the administration does not have a clear plan for the aftermath of this weekend
operation. Do you believe the administration has a clear plan?
LUNA: I won't get into the specifics of the classified briefing, but what I will talk to is publicly made statements by not just Secretary Rubio, but
also Secretary of War Hegseth, and that there is a plan in place. And I'd also like to point out, though, that some surprisingly actually two news
agencies chose to protect our service members after there was a very dangerous leak of classified information and actually just left House
Oversight where unanimously both Democrats and Republicans supported a motion I made to subpoena a, quote/unquote, "journalist" that had been
responsible for doxing one of members of Delta Force.
And so, we obviously take these matters seriously. You know that I have, and you can check my voting record, that I am not for continuous wars. But
again, we are not at war with Venezuela and there has been full cooperation as well as leverage with the current leadership in place in Venezuela. And
ultimately, our whole objective is to ensure that Americans are safe. And I think that that will happen moving forward.
SCIUTTO: You said shortly after the operation to extract Nicolas Maduro and his wife, that President Trump through that operation had liberated the
people of Venezuela. Given that Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, and now the president and the rest of the regime, including security
forces, remains in place. And there are reports, in fact, of raids and assaults on dissidents, others in the country.
Are the people of Venezuela liberated now or are they under the same leadership in effect?
LUNA: My comments come directly at the stuff that we are hearing from our constituents, not just in Pinellas, but also across Florida and across the
country. As you're seeing, there's been massive support.
Obviously, we have also heard reports, I haven't been able to confirm it, but have heard reports of there being militant militia group style going
around door to door. But please understand that the administration is actively working with current leadership. And also, that has to do in
regards to whether or not they will be holding free and fair elections.
You know that even members of the European Union failed to recognize Maduro as a legitimate president. And so, what I would say is the best thing that
we can do right now to ensure that the people are safe, as well as Americans, which Americans come first and foremost, is to ensure that the
leadership of Venezuela is no longer responsible for threatening our elected officials, for sending cocaine, various narcotics into the United
States, as well as taking part in funding and working with terrorist organizations that are actively infiltrating and trying to carry out
terrorist attacks in the United States. But I am not for and I would not vote for boots on the ground in Venezuela.
SCIUTTO: Well, to your point about elections, as you know, many in the international community say the actual winner of those presidential
elections in 2024 were Edmundo Gonzalez. And of course, it was Maria Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, also a leader. I've spoken to the
opposition and they expressed support for the for the operation, the president's operation. But the president said they have no support in their
country.
How can that be if they were the actual winners of the most recent presidential election there? And shouldn't the U.S. be supporting their
role in a new government?
LUNA: Well, I'm not privy to the conversations that the president is having with the high level, high level leaders in the Venezuelan
government, as well as if he has or has not talked to Machado. But what I will tell you is I do think that it was very honorable for her to basically
honor him with her Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of the efforts that he's done to really end wars in the last year that he's been in office.
[18:40:00]
And I would also further on say that I think what needs to happen in Venezuela because of the amount of corruption that did take place is I
think there needs to be a supervised election to basically redo it. We don't know the inner workings of what's happened even in the last year or
so in Venezuela publicly. But there has been a lot with intelligence gathering, et cetera. And I don't think that this is going away anytime
soon. But what I will tell you is the indictment that the DOJ. has put out about Maduro and his wife.
I think that this sends a message to not just leadership in Venezuela to play ball and respect their citizens and also stop trying to kill Americans
but also sends a very big message to the rest of the world to include other leaders that were attempting to run narco stakes and narco states and kill
Americans using our young men and our young women as basically guinea pigs and cash cows.
SCIUTTO: Well, to that point, you and the president by the way said that this action is about stopping the flow of drugs. Also, about removing a
dictator a corrupt dictator. Now, the president is talking quite publicly about the U.S. gaining money from Venezuela's oil. Does that concern you at
all to hear that it might give the impression to Americans and to others around the world that this was really about the oil and not about drugs or
democracy?
LUNA: I think that the -- and I'm speculating here. So, you're just getting my opinion on this because I haven't talked to the president
directly. But I think that when you have the new leadership in Venezuela asking the United States saying, look, we obviously don't maybe agree with
what Maduro was doing and we would like to open up interactions with the United States government. That could be as a result of those conversations.
Now, again I'm not for investing American dollars down there. But obviously there has been a lot of talk of private corporations going down there. And
so, again I'm not privy to those conversations. But what I can tell you is without getting too much into the classified aspect of what was in the
briefing today I feel confident in my position. I have not changed my position.
And I think many Venezuelans that are here in the United States whether it was on visas because they were fleeing persecution because of the Maduro
regime will likely be happy to go home. And I think that you'll see those numbers reflected in immigration reports probably in the next couple of
years here depending on what comes with the outcome whether there's trade deals and whether or not the region becomes as stable as we hope it will.
SCIUTTO: Congressman Anna Paulina Luna, we appreciate you joining the program.
LUNA: Thank you. God bless.
SCIUTTO: And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Returning now to our top story. Anger in Minneapolis after an immigration agent shot and killed a woman in the middle of the street.
[18:45:00]
The victim was 37 years old. A U.S. citizen a mother of a young child. We do need to warn you that this video of that deadly shooting is disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car. Get out of the car.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. No. Shit. Shit. Oh, my -- God. What the -- what the -- you just -- what the -- did you do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: President Trump shared another video from further away, a different angle. He blamed the woman who was shot dead saying the agent,
quote, "seems to have shot her in self-defense." The governor of Minnesota Tim Walz told residents he is angry. The mayor of the city used even
stronger language.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACOB FREY, MAYOR OF MINNEAPOLIS: I have a message for ICE. To ICE, get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Our Whitney Wild is there in Minneapolis. I wonder if you could describe the nature of those protests there this evening.
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Very calm. Where I am here is yards away from where this woman lost her life. We are right on
Portland Avenue and East 34th Street. This is four blocks from where George Floyd lost his life. This is right in the heart of Minneapolis.
And right now, you're seeing people gather here where she spent the last moments of her life paying their respects to her. They are laying flowers
where it is very clear she crashed her car there. When we were up there, Jim, it was such a striking scene because there was still blood in the snow
and there were pieces of brake lights, you know, peppered all around the flowers. And there were so many people here who took a moment out of their
day to come and remember her and stand by her even in death. A woman that they did not even know.
So, here it is very calm. That was not the case earlier. It was -- well, it was, it was calm but it was loud. It was noisy. It was I would call it a
flare up between law enforcement and the crowd. There were times when there were some scuffles in the crowd among some other folks. Initially right
after the incident happened and the crowd gathered. There was a chemical munition that was detonated. We don't know by whom, but I could feel it and
I could see it and I could smell it. And we saw a little bit of the aftermath of that.
The crowd, again, was noisy. They were directing most of their anger at the Minneapolis Police Department. There were multiple law enforcement agencies
who were here. Customs and Border Patrol, the marshals, the FBI who will investigate this shooting, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin
County Sheriff's Office. And as they were leaving people really directed their anger toward the local law enforcement who had secured the scene.
They were throwing snowballs. They were throwing chunks of ice at the vehicles.
And I think it represents something that is unique to Minneapolis because the anger here from citizens was directed toward the Minneapolis Police
Department because they felt like they were not protecting the public, they were protecting ICE. That is a department that has worked really hard to
regain the trust of the public in the aftermath of George Floyd. And now, they were taking the heat that was really generated because of this ICE
incident something that they had nothing to do with. And yet, they quickly became responsible for because that was where the anger from the crowd was
directed, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
WILD: Right now, again, this is a very calm crowd. We've seen members of the Minneapolis City Council here. There are speeches. I don't know if you
can hear it but there are people on bullhorns speaking over and over. We're hearing them chant her name, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Such a good point there about, well, not just the distance from the George Floyd killing but also just the police department and the
pressure they've been under. Whitney Wild in Minneapolis, thanks so much.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he will meet with leaders from Denmark next week as President Donald Trump continues to threaten to take
control of Greenland if necessary, by force. The White House says it hasn't ruled out any options, not even military action. Though Rubio told some
lawmakers that the administration is hoping to buy Greenland, according to CNN sources.
The island, we should note, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, like the U.S. a member of NATO. The E.U. is throwing its full support behind
Greenland and Denmark repeating Wednesday that Greenland belongs to its people.
Joining me now is Anders Vistisen a Danish member of the European Parliament. Thanks so much for joining.
ANDERS VISTISEN, DANISH MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Thank you for having me on.
SCIUTTO: So, first as you heard there Rubio is telling lawmakers that this is just about an offer to buy Greenland. Is Greenland for sale?
[18:50:00]
VISTISEN: No. The Greenlandic prime minister and the Danish government had made that abundantly clear. And it's not very trustworthy to make a
negotiation. If you do it down the barrel of a gun. So, I don't think there's any sense in negotiating people with Greenland. People at gunpoint.
And this continuous threat of military action is appalling to do to another NATO ally.
SCIUTTO: As you note, President Trump, Stephen Miller, the White House press secretary, they all said military force is not off the table. How is
that received in Denmark which is, of course, an ally, a treaty ally of the U.S. and a fellow member of NATO? How do they receive those words?
VISTISEN: Denmark has traditionally been a very transatlantic -- pro- transatlantic country. We have had higher casualties per capita in Iraq and Afghanistan than the U.S. have had itself. We have been a longstanding ally
of the U.S. for more than 70 years. So, I think that there is a very righteous outcry in Denmark about this behavior from the U.S.
administration.
What are we going to tell the family members of the soldiers who died for the U.S. of the many people who went back from Iraq and Afghanistan injured
to fight alongside the U.S. who came to the aid to the United States after the only time the night NATO Article 5 have been triggered after the 9/11
terrorist attack in New York and Washington D.C.? It is very, very hard to continue to be a pro transatlantic voice in Denmark when we have this
rhetoric that is very damaging to the transatlantic relations, not only to Denmark but also to the wider continent of Europe.
SCIUTTO: I often remind Americans that Danish forces did hard frontline combat duty in Afghanistan. They lost dozens of soldiers. I was there. I
witnessed it. And it's something shouldn't be forgotten.
If the U.S. were to force Denmark to give up Greenland either by military pressure or perhaps economic pressure, would that effectively end the
alliance between Denmark and the U.S.?
VISTISEN: It's very difficult to have a definitive alliance as NATO is if one member attacks another one. And that is why we still consider that to
be unrealistic outcome from all of this posturing from the current U.S. administration. But just talking about it makes a tremendous effect in the
public opinion.
And to be honest, Denmark, from left to right in the political spectrum, has been quite positive towards the U.S. And that is changing and that is
not just coming back even if this issue is resolved. So, there is really -- it's very difficult to see a positive outcome from this. And the Danish and
Greenlandic resolve is quite firm, if the U.S. wants to take Greenland it has to be by military power. We are not going to negotiate in this way.
There's no art of the deal in this in this outcome where the U.S. can gain something from negotiating in this way.
SCIUTTO: What are Denmark's options? Short of protests, short of statements, is Denmark considering defending Greenland militarily?
VISTISEN: There's no prospect of defending Greenland in a military way. But what we can do is make a very clear line in the sand and say, you know,
no you're not going to gain anything from threatening with the military intervention. OK if you want to do it go ahead. Then you have blown up
NATO. Then you have blown up the entire idea of the Western Hemisphere standing against an adversary like China. But we are not going to reward
this behavior by giving in on other points regarding Greenland.
We have to stand firm now even though we are a small country. But OK, if you if the U.S. administration is threatening by a military intervention
then then they must walk the walk. We don't think that will come to that. But we are not going just to give in now and give concessions and on all
kind of other issues that could be on the table regarding Greenland.
This has been going on too far and lines have been crossed. That makes it very difficult to have a positive atmosphere about Greenland.
SCIUTTO: When I speak to European officials, what I find about the relationship with the U.S., security relationship and not beyond Greenland,
Ukraine, you name it, that in private they're quite pessimistic. And many will say that the relationship is already deeply damaged, possibly
irreparably damaged. In public, they're more conservative, they don't want to get on the wrong side of President Trump. Do you think the relationship
between the U.S. and its European allies is already deeply damaged?
[18:55:00]
VISTISEN: What we can see is that the U.S. -- what the communication from the U.S. have done is it has pushed many European allies towards China. So,
I think if you ask widely in the U.S., both on the Democrat and Republican side, their greatest concern over the next 10, 20, 30 years will be China
getting more and more power in the world. And what have effectively happened over the last five to eight years is that many European allies are
thinking, OK, Beijing, Washington, that's an equally evil or good. We can live with both of them, but we are not really allied with neither.
And we also see that going through in public opinion. In many opinion polls when you are in many countries in Europe and you're asking who is the
greatest adversary, people don't necessarily put a U.S. far behind China or Russia. So, there is really a breakdown in public trust in America.
SCIUTTO: It's remarkable. Well, member of the European Parliament from Denmark, Anders Vistisen, we appreciate you joining.
And thanks so much to you for joining the program as well. You've been watching "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. Please do stay with
CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
