Trump Border Czar Says Minnesota ICE Surge Is Ending After Fatal Shootings and Protests
Federal immigration authorities announced Thursday that the weeks-long aggressive crackdown in Minnesota known as “Operation Metro Surge” is being scaled back and will soon conclude. The move comes after the campaign drew intense public scrutiny, sparked mass protests and was tied to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.
The Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, confirmed at a press briefing that he has recommended ending the operation and that President Trump has agreed. A “significant drawdown” of ICE and other federal agents is already underway and will continue through next week, Homan said.
Operation Metro Surge, launched in early December, deployed thousands of federal immigration and law enforcement officers to the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, far exceeding the usual federal presence in the state. Officials say more than 4,000 arrests were made during sweeps targeting undocumented immigrants, though exact figures have not been fully disclosed by DHS.
Despite its scale, the operation faced fierce opposition. Local leaders, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, repeatedly criticized the federal presence as an overreach and called for its withdrawal. State residents staged large protests, school closures and civil actions opposing the surge.
Follow The Coffman Chronicle on NewsBreak for daily breaking political coverage.
“I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude,” Homan said, signaling a shift in federal tactics.
The end of the surge matters because it marks a rare rollback of a high-visibility enforcement initiative after public backlash and fatalities, underscoring the deep political and social divisions over immigration policy and federal authority in U.S. cities.
In the coming days, federal agents will return to normal duties or be reassigned, and local officials are expected to press for lasting oversight and accountability. Enforcement of immigration laws will continue nationwide, but the Minnesota episode is likely to influence future federal-local engagements.
A reduced federal footprint will remain to support local law enforcement in specific tasks as the drawdown completes.
Follow The Coffman Chronicle on NewsBreak for daily breaking political coverage.