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The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota, marking an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant communities.

Operation Details Confirmed by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration operation ever underway right now”.

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

News accounts indicate the federal government is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a one-month period. While Lyons did not verify that specific figure, he described it as a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in Minnesota has been underway since early December. In response, local residents have pushed back against ICE, engaging in protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly stayed away from public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being apprehended.

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a DHS video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.

Broader Backdrop: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the largest 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 “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were 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 “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 being attacked 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 strong criticism underscores the deep division between state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.