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The national administration has deployed additional immigration enforcement agents to the state of Minnesota, marking an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the region and its sizable 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, apprehend perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.

“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Acting Director

Reports indicate the administration is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and HSI, 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 would not confirm a number but stated it had “increased law enforcement” presence.

Operation Metro Surge and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been ongoing since the start of last month. In response, community members have fought back against ICE, engaging in 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 top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be personally involved in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his nation of origin.

Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Comments

This focus on Minnesota occurs as the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. It is worth noting, 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 further stated that officers have been “conducting visits” 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 framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “ridiculous” and part of a “war 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 spiteful, malicious administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's forceful criticism underscores the significant political rift between state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.