Noem Fires Back at Walz Over ICE Raid Criticism, Questions His Focus on Taxpayer Dollars

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem sharply rebuked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after he criticized a broad U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Minnesota, questioning why Walz framed the issue around the cost to taxpayers.

Noem’s Response

Noem, a vocal ally of tougher immigration enforcement, pushed back on Walz’s comments, saying it was surprising that the governor would highlight taxpayer spending while, she claimed, large-scale fraud has occurred in Minnesota under his watch. "Really, you’re worried about taxpayer dollars?" Noem said in remarks responding to Walz’s social-media post.

Noem accused state officials of blocking federal access to county jails and suggested that political rhetoric had contributed to assaults against law enforcement. She also asserted that roughly "$9 billion" has been stolen from Minnesota taxpayers since Walz took office — a figure she cited while defending the size of the federal enforcement presence as necessary to remove dangerous offenders from communities.

Noem has participated in some ICE arrests in Minnesota, including an arrest connected to an alleged homicide, according to reporting by the Fox affiliate in Minneapolis–St. Paul.

Walz’s Criticism

Governor Walz shared video of dozens of federal agents detaining at least one man inside what he described as a Minnetonka library complex and condemned the operation as excessive. In a social-media post he wrote, "Nobody is fooled into thinking this bafoonery (sic) is a reasonable use of taxpayer dollars. It should not take 50 ICE agents to arrest one guy in a library." His post drew attention both for its criticism of the operation and for a misspelling that many users highlighted.

Gov. Tim Walz announced on Monday that he's dropping his bid for a third term amid stinging criticism of his handling of Minnesota's massive welfare assistance fraud scandal.

At a news conference Walz estimated as many as 2,000 federal agents were active in Minnesota during related enforcement efforts and said state officials were not certain who all of the agents were or what their exact mission was. "If you want us to fix fraud, come and help us… They’re not interested in that," he added, urging federal agencies to coordinate with state efforts to combat fraud.

Local Reaction and Online Response

Walz’s remarks prompted a mixture of criticism and mockery on social media. Several conservative commentators and other users mocked the governor’s misspelling and questioned his characterization of the ICE operation. One commentator asked, "How many police will it take to arrest you?" while others circulated memes and jokes about the exchange.

Minneapolis City Councilman Jason Chavez urged residents to be cautious amid increased federal activity, reporting heightened activity on Lake Street and around Powderhorn and noting sightings of vehicles marked with apparent ICE identification.

Background: Fraud Probe and Federal Presence

Noem and federal authorities have emphasized that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officers were deployed to examine allegations of fraud involving several daycare operations tied to Minnesota’s Somali community; those sites are alleged to have received millions in state funds. Officials have said the investigations are aimed at rooting out what they describe as organized or systemic fraud related to state programs.

Where Things Stand

Fox News Digital reached out to Governor Walz for further comment but had not received a response by publication time. The public exchange highlights ongoing tension between state officials and federal immigration and law-enforcement efforts, and raises questions about coordination, transparency and the proper scale of federal operations in states conducting their own fraud investigations.