On CBS' Face the Nation, Governor Kristi Noem and host Margaret Brennan clashed over what share of immigrants detained by ICE have criminal convictions. Noem repeatedly insisted the figure was 70%, while Brennan cited reporting that put the number at 47% based on ICE's own data. The heated exchange also saw Noem claim, without evidence, that there are "millions" of dangerous individuals in the country. The confrontation occurred as controversy swirls over expanded ICE operations in Minneapolis following the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Goodon.
Kristi Noem Clashes With CBS Anchor Over ICE Detention Numbers — 70% vs. 47%
Kristi Noem said that 70% of illegal immigrant detainees in Minnesota had criminal convictions. / CBS News
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem faced a tense exchange on CBS' Face the Nation when host Margaret Brennan challenged her figures about the criminal records of immigrants detained by ICE.
Brennan pressed Noem on what portion of immigrants taken into ICE custody had "actually committed a criminal [offense] versus just a civil infraction." Noem responded sharply, asserting that "every single individual has committed a crime, but 70 percent of them have committed or have charges against them on violent crimes," and that many were charged or convicted for crimes committed in the U.S. or in their home countries.
Margaret Brennan was called 'wrong' for saying that the real figure was 47%, and quickly pointed out that she was getting her information from the DHS. / CBS News
Brennan interrupted to correct that figure, saying, "It's not 70 percent," and Noem insisted, "Yes, it is. It absolutely is." Noem continued, "You keep changing your percentage. You pick and choose what numbers you think work, but that is the fact, is that 70 percent of the people that we have detained have charges against them or have been convicted of charges and they need to be brought to justice."
After allowing Noem to speak at length, Brennan cited reporting based on ICE's own data: "Okay. Well, our reporting is 47 percent based on your agency's own numbers. 47 percent have criminal convictions against them." Noem again refused to concede the point and said she would provide "the correct numbers" later, while Brennan noted that her reporting relied on ICE's published figures.
Noem also claimed that there were 'millions' of violent illegal immigrants in Minnesota, as protests continue in the area following Renee Good's death. / Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images
"It's not 70 percent," — Margaret Brennan
Earlier in the interview, Brennan also asked Noem how officials would determine when the agency had removed "everyone off the streets" who require federal agents and how they would declare mission accomplished. Noem blamed federal immigration policy under the Biden administration, saying officials have "no idea how many dangerous people are here." Moments later, she asserted without citing evidence that there are "millions" of "terrorists, suspected terrorists, and criminals" in the country.
The exchange took place amid controversy over an expanded ICE presence in Minneapolis following the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Goodon by an ICE agent. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly called for ICE to leave the city, while Noem and former President Donald Trump said they would increase ICE activity in the area.
Context: The interview highlights a public dispute over statistics and accountability between a high-profile governor and a national news anchor, and it underscores how differing interpretations of agency data can become central in politically charged debates about immigration enforcement.
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