WASHINGTON

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday that her department had arrested over 10,000 migrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as part of an ongoing crackdown on immigration.

“We have arrested over 10,000 criminal illegal aliens who were killing Americans, hurting children and reigning terror in Minneapolis," Noem said in a statement.

Noem blalmed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for what she called a failure to protect residents, accusing them of protecting "criminals."

Over the past six weeks, Noem said, law enforcement officials had arrested 3,000 migrants.

Minneapolis has become a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration enforcement after a Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7.

An American woman and mother, Good's killing sparked widespread public and political backlash, as well as demands for investigations at the local, state and federal levels.