🔗 Share this article

The national administration has deployed additional immigration enforcement agents to the state of Minnesota, marking an intensification in its rhetoric and actions targeting the state and its immigrant populations.

Federal Surge Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal illegal aliens”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the largest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official

News accounts indicate the federal government is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While Lyons did not confirm that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” presence.

Operation Metro Surge and Community Impact

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in Minnesota has been underway since early December. In response, community members have pushed back against ICE, engaging in protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Broader Backdrop: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, 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 “conducting visits” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “conflict that’s being fought against Minnesota”.

“In my view, any state government in history has had to fight a war against the federal government every single day. We are being attacked like no other time in our state’s history because of a petty, vile administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The governor's forceful condemnation underscores the significant division between state and federal authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.