Trump Border Tsar Says Minnesota ICE Surge Will Wind Down in Coming Days

Claiming that the administration’s enforcement operations have been a “great success” in the state, border tsar Tom Homan says the current surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota will conclude in the near future.Mr. Homan said at a news conference Thursday that a significant drawdown of resources started this week and will continue into next week. He announced last week the immediate removal of 700 federal immigration agents, and now many more of the 2,000 remaining agents are expected to pull out of the state.Mr. Homan credited cooperation from Governor Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, and other local officials for the ability to wind down the surge. He says local sheriffs have agreed to contact immigration agents when they are preparing to release jailed individuals wanted for deportation.“We now have the ability to arrest criminal aliens in the safety and security of jails throughout the state at the time they’re being released, like we’ve done in other states,” Mr. Homan said. He added that officers have been strategically placed around the state in order to get to jails quickly.ICE launched Operation Metro Surge in December to carry out immigration sweeps focused on the Twin Cities region. The operations brought coordinated protests meant to disrupt agents that have led to two deadly confrontations with American citizens.President Trump sent Mr. Homan to Minnesota to take over leadership of the operation in late January after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. Renee Good was fatally shot behind the wheel of her vehicle earlier in the month. The killings generated outrage across the country. Democrats withheld votes for a spending package that caused a short government shutdown before funding for the Department of Homeland Security was pulled out of the package. Congress is still considering funding for the department.In the aftermath of the killings, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem, announced that her department would deploy body cameras to all officers in the field in Minneapolis. Mr. Homan denied accusations that agents have carried out arrests in schools, hospitals, and churches as part of the surge and says some operations will continue after the drawdown ends.Federal authorities say the surge has led to the arrest of more than 4,000 people in the state.“Minnesota is less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” Mr. Homan said. He added that he will remain in the state as the drawdown takes place.Mr. Homan also said that the number of agitators trying to disrupt operations had dropped considerably in recent weeks.Mr. Walz, who had referred to the surge of immigration agents as an “occupation,” simply posted “Thank you, Minnesota,” in an X post after Mr. Homan’s announcement.

Trump Border Tsar Says Minnesota ICE Surge Will Wind Down in Coming Days

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