Officers tasked with carrying out a controversial immigration crackdown in Minneapolis will be equipped with body-worn cameras following the fatal shooting of two protesters.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said every agent from her department in the city, including those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will be given one.
She also said body cameras would be sent to officers nationwide as funding becomes available.
It is the latest attempt from the White House to alleviate tensions after two people were shot dead by federal agents in Minneapolis last month, sparking widespread backlash across the US.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was killed by immigration officers just weeks after mother-of-three Renee Good was shot dead by an ICE agent in her car.
Following Mr Pretti’s death, Ms Noem claimed he “came with a weapon and dozens of rounds of ammunition and attacked” officers, who took action to “defend their lives”.
However, several videos that emerged of the shooting appeared to show Mr Pretti with only a mobile phone in his hand as officers tackled him to the ground, with one removing a handgun from his trousers.
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The Department of Homeland Security has previously said at least four Customs and Border Protection officers on the scene when Mr Pretti was shot were wearing body cameras. However, that footage has not been made public.
It is also not yet known if any of the ICE officers at the scene of Ms Good’s killing were wearing cameras.
Trump: Cameras mean ‘people can’t lie’
In response to Ms Noem’s announcement, Donald Trump insisted it was not his decision but said he was largely in favour of the initiative.
“They [body-worn cameras] generally tend to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what’s happening,” the US president said.
“So, it’s generally speaking I think 80% good for law enforcement. But if she wants to do the camera thing, that’s okay with me.”
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Since Mr Pretti’s death, Mr Trump has sent Tom Homan – his so-called “border tsar” – to Minneapolis to replace US border patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who had been overseeing ICE in the city.
Two agents involved in Mr Pretti’s fatal shooting have been placed on administrative leave, while the Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the incident.
The situation in Minneapolis has prompted increased calls for all immigration enforcement officers to wear body cameras.
In 2022, former president Joe Biden ordered that federal law enforcement officers wear body cameras as part of an executive order that included other policing reform measures.
However, Mr Trump rescinded that directive after starting his second term.
