Trump Sends Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota in Effort To Calm Rising Tensions and Tamp Down Criticism

President Trump is temporarily sidelining Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and deploying “border czar” Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, the president announced Monday morning. The move follows weeks of unrest prompted by the federal government’s aggressive deportation effort in the state and the conduct of federal law enforcement on the ground. The situation has escalated since the killings of two Americans by federal agents in the Twin Cities area this month.Mr. Homan, a former acting director of ICE known for his hardline stance on immigration, will report directly to the president.“I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” Mr. Trump said on his Truth Social platform.Mr. Trump offered an even more conciliatory tone in a separate social media post late Monday morning. “Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota,” he said. “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department bumbled through a weekend of conflicting messaging following the killing of an ICU nurse by federal authorities in the city Saturday, expressed support for the move. “This is good news for peace, safety, and accountability in Minneapolis,” Ms. Noem said in a social media statement. “I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team.”The atmosphere in Minneapolis has become increasingly volatile following the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti over the weekend. His death followed the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by an ICE agent.Both incidents were captured on video, leading to discrepancies between official accounts and visual evidence. Regarding Pretti’s death, the Department of Homeland Security initially claimed he approached officers with a handgun and “violently resisted.” However, video footage appears to show Pretti holding a phone and officers removing a weapon from his person before shots were fired. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara noted that Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.Several prominent Republican lawmakers, including Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are calling for independent investigations into the recent shooting involving ICE agents, citing concerns over agency integrity and use of force.Ms. Murkowski addressed the conduct of federal officers in a Fox News appearance on Sunday, emphasizing that “ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.”Referring to video evidence of the encounter, Ms. Murkowski said, “Lawfully carrying a firearm does not justify federal agents killing an American — especially, as video footage appears to show, after the victim had been disarmed.”Meanwhile, House Oversight Chairman James Comer suggested a different response from the executive branch. Appearing on Fox News, Mr. Comer proposed that Mr. Trump should consider withdrawing agents from the area entirely.“If I were President Trump, I would almost think about, Okay, if the mayor and governor are going put our ICE officials in harm’s way and there’s a chance of losing more innocent lives, or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals?” the Kentucky Republican said.

Trump Sends Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota in Effort To Calm Rising Tensions and Tamp Down Criticism

Trump Sends Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota in Effort To Calm Rising Tensions and Tamp Down Criticism

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