Reporter denied access at DHS news conference in Minnesota

Clint Combs, a reporter for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, said he was removed from the approved media list and denied access to a Department of Homeland Security news conference in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area on Oct. 24, 2025.

Combs told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he had RSVP’d for the event at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling, bordering Minneapolis, and received an email confirming his registration, including the address and arrival instructions for the press.

When he checked in, a security guard asked for the name of his publication. On the guard’s clipboard, Combs saw a spreadsheet listing several news outlets — some highlighted in yellow and others crossed out in pen.

The guard looked at the list and said, “You’re off the list.”

Combs said he was not given a reason for his removal but was denied entry to the event.

The news conference, which was met with protests, featured Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and focused on U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Combs told the Tracker he was “shocked and a little bit upset” by the exclusion and concerned about how selective access limits accountability. He said he has previously written stories on DHS activities and interviewed people who have been critical of its operations, but he can’t say if that is the reason for the denial.

“Preventing people from asking public questions has a chilling effect,” Combs said. “I just wish there were clear explanations from the top down why certain outlets were denied. If it’s a logistical issue or a timing issue, let me know that.”

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.