The federal government has deployed additional immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, marking an escalation in its rhetoric and actions targeting the state and its immigrant populations.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, apprehend perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now”.
“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Official
News accounts indicate the administration is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month period. While Lyons did not verify that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but stated it had “increased law enforcement” resources.
Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in the state has been ongoing since early December. In reaction, local residents have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being apprehended.
The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be on the ground in the state. She is featured in a government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted 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 allegedly captured the focus of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him targeting Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.
Lyons further stated that officers have been “conducting visits” to companies suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for running an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.
In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being fought against Minnesota”.
“I don’t think any government in history has had to battle against the federal government every single day. We are being attacked like no other time in our state’s history because of a spiteful, malicious administration that is indifferent to the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz
The governor's strong criticism highlights the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying crackdown.
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