Following weeks of escalating tension and a series of tragic encounters, the administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced a decision to withdraw over 700 immigration officers from Minnesota.
On Wednesday, Border Czar Tom Homan confirmed that the administration will withdraw 700 immigration officers from the Minneapolis-St. Paul’s area is effective immediately, a move intended to de-escalate a region shaken by recent violence.
The decision comes in the wake of “Operation Metro Surge,” a massive federal effort that has seen the deployment of thousands of armed immigration agents into Minnesota.
However, the operation took a dark turn last month following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during separate enforcement encounters.
These incidents sparked nationwide protests and intense scrutiny from lawmakers, ultimately forcing the White House to withdraw 700 immigration officers to balance public safety with enforcement goals.
During a press conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal Building, Homan framed the drawdown not as a retreat, but as a result of “unprecedented collaboration” with local county authorities.
Homan noted that while the administration remains committed to its mandate, the decision to withdraw 700 immigration officers reflects a need for a “safer environment” for both the public and law enforcement personnel who have faced increasing resistance.
“My goal, with the support of President Trump, is to achieve a complete drawdown and end this surge, as soon as we can,” Homan said at a news conference.
He reiterated that immigration efforts would continue and that agents would not solely target undocumented criminals.
“If you’re in the country illegally, you are not off the table,” Homan said. “Let me be clear, President Trump fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country.”
Homan said that the drawdown is partly a result of cooperation between Minnesota county jails and federal immigration officials, making it easier for immigration authorities to apprehend targets. Homan asked for such cooperation from state and local authorities over the last week.
“This is smarter enforcement, not less enforcement,” he said, adding that local authorities will not be conducting immigration enforcement.
Over the past two months, more than 3,000 federal immigration agents have descended onto Minneapolis, a major city in Minnesota, in what the Trump administration has dubbed Operation Metro Surge.
For comparison, the city has 600 police officers. Homan said that roughly 150 federal immigration authorities were present in the city before the operation began.
The Department of Homeland Security said agents have arrested about 3,000 undocumented immigrants since the operation began.
The immigration crackdown prompted national outrage after federal authorities fatally shot two U.S. citizens — Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37.
Following the two incidents, Trump’s administration removed Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino, who was often present at violent encounters with protesters and arrests of immigrants. Bovino returned to his post in El Centro, California.
Meanwhile, Homan arrived in Minneapolis the same week, where he quickly said that the situation could be improved and that the administration would “draw down” the operation in the state.
The development also comes amid reports that some Nigerians in the U.S have been fleeing as the ICE stepped up operations across the U.S.
Many Nigerians have been reported to have self-deported themselves to avoid the brutal crackdown of the ICE officers.
