Border Czar, Holman Removes 700 ICE Agents from Minnesota After Improved Local Cooperation
By The Blog Source
On Wednesday, Border Czar Tom Homan said that the Trump administration is cutting back on the number of federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis by 700. He said this reduction is because of what he called "unprecedented cooperation" from local officials and measurable progress on the ground since he took over Operation Metro Surge at the end of last month.
The pullback leaves around 2,000 federal agents operating in the Twin Cities, down from a peak of about 3,000 at the height of the surge. Homan said that better collaboration between county prisons and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has produced a safer and more effective enforcement environment, was a major factor in the drop. “As a result of the need for fewer law enforcement officers to do this work in a safer environment, I have announced, effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people effective today,” Homan said, adding that the ultimate objective is to return to the pre-surge footprint of roughly 150 federal personnel—if local cooperation continues.
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Homan's message revolved around that warning. He stated that a complete wind-down of the surge hinges on an end to what he described as "illegal and threatening activities against ICE," with President Trump's support. He made it plain that security details for federal officials will remain strong. “We will not draw down on personnel providing security for our officers,” Homan added. “I will not let our officers be put at risk.” He also highlighted that the cut does not apply to agents assigned to Minnesota’s comprehensive welfare and benefits fraud probe, who will remain until that job is complete.
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Operation Metro Surge began in December after a succession of high-profile fraud cases involving federal welfare programs shook the state and escalated scrutiny of local enforcement procedures, causing political consequences that included Democrat Gov. Tim Walz quitting his reelection attempt. The government presence swiftly overshadowed municipal resources; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey earlier stated that the city, with a police force of around 600 policemen, was hosting thousands of federal agents.
The influx also generated weeks of demonstrations and rioting, spurred by two tragic interactions involving federal agents. On Jan. 7, ICE shot and killed Renee Good, 37, as she raced her car toward an officer. Less than three weeks later, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officers killed Alex Pretti, also 37, during a street struggle. In the aftermath of the Pretti shooting, Trump nominated Homan to take full supervision of immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, a move the administration characterized as an effort to calm the situation and restore order.
Federal officials claim that since then, they have taken action to reduce tensions while upholding enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated last week that federal police operating in Minneapolis will begin wearing body cameras, a directive Homan confirmed Wednesday will soon apply to all field agents in the city. “The plan is to deploy them nationwide, but it’s a priority for the city right now,” Homan said, noting that $20 million contained in the funding package is designated to extend the program. “The president supported this decision because we have nothing to hide.”
The body camera launch comes as Democrats in Congress want to attach further immigration enforcement money to reforms at the Department of Homeland Security, which is now operating under a short-term budget patch slated to expire Feb. 13. Republicans, meanwhile, have already secured longer-term funding for enforcement operations, insulating the administration’s broader immigration agenda.
Homan also revealed a structural shift in how federal agencies function in Minnesota, stating CBP agents have been completely integrated with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations under a single chain of command. “Any large enforcement operation I’ve ever been involved with, there’s one chain of command,” he added, portraying the shift as a necessary step to better coordination and accountability.
For now, the administration is promoting the 700-person pullback as proof that tough enforcement mixed with cooperation from local officials may decrease the need for a persistent federal surge. However, Homan clarified that the ongoing reductions hinge on local leaders fulfilling their responsibilities and ensuring that federal police can carry out their duties without any interference or intimidation.
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