The national administration has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, marking an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant populations.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, apprehend perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the largest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.
“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Official
Reports suggest the administration is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a one-month period. While Lyons did not confirm that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” presence.
Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the agency's enforcement push in the state has been ongoing since the start of last month. In reaction, local residents have fought back against ICE, engaging in protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly stayed away from public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being apprehended.
The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, appears to be on the ground in the state. She is featured in a DHS video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.
This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the attention of former President Trump and resulted in xenophobic comments from him targeting Somalis. It is worth noting, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.
Lyons further stated that officers have been “going door to door” to companies suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.
In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being fought against Minnesota”.
“In my view, any state government in history has had to battle against the federal government every single day. We are under assault like no other time in our state’s history because of a spiteful, malicious administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz
The state's forceful condemnation underscores the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating crackdown.
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