Trump says he is not pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is not going to pull Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents out of Minnesota.

"No no. Not at all," Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Center.

The administration will keep the US safe, he said.

"We'll do whatever we can to keep our country safe," he added.

Earlier Thursday, White House border czar Tom Homan said Trump administration officials are working on a plan to "soon" reduce the number of ICE agents in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota.

Homan acknowledged faults in the administration's immigration crackdown but said the reduction of ICE officers is contingent on the implementation of agreements with state and local officials amid what he described as ongoing "meaningful dialogue."

Protests against ICE operations and shootings by federal immigration agents have taken place for more than a month across the state. Demonstrations escalated following the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, by immigration officers Saturday, and the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.

The Pretti shooting heightened tensions as local and state leaders demanded independent investigations and questioned federal cooperation with authorities.

Democrats are urging Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is facing scrutiny following the shootings. However, the president dismissed notions that Noem might step down.