The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, representing an escalation in its rhetoric and actions against the region and its sizable immigrant populations.
The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever taking place right now”.
“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official
Reports indicate the federal government is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month period. While the ICE official did not confirm that specific figure, he described it as a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” resources.
Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in Minnesota has been ongoing since early December. In reaction, community members have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, skipping 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 featured in a government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.
This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several prominent cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the attention of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him targeting Somalis. It is worth noting, 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 added that officers have been “conducting visits” to businesses suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.
In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being fought against Minnesota”.
“In my view, any 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 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 state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.
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