🔗 Share this article

The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota, representing an escalation in its rhetoric and actions targeting the state and its immigrant communities.

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated 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, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration operation ever taking place right now”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Acting Director

News accounts indicate the administration is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

Operation Metro Surge and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been ongoing since early December. In response, community members have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being detained.

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

Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Comments

This focus on Minnesota occurs as the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., and the vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “going door to door” to businesses allegedly 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 said the agents were fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

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

“I don’t think any 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 is indifferent to the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The governor's forceful condemnation highlights the significant political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating crackdown.