‘A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into the next week,’ Homan said.
White House border czar Tom Homan said on Feb. 12 that the administration has made significant progress in Minnesota and will therefore conclude the immigration enforcement surge in the state.
“I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into the next week,” Homan said during a press briefing.
Homan said the administration has achieved “an unprecedented level of coordination” with law enforcement officials across the entire state.
He reported significant success in the surge operation in Minnesota, pointing to the arrest of over 4,000 illegal immigrants, “including murderers, sex offenders, national security threats, gang members and other violent criminals.”
The federal agents, he said, now have the ability to arrest illegal immigrants in the safety and security of jails across the state as they are released, as has been done in other states.
The Trump administration has repeatedly called for so-called sanctuary jurisdictions to cooperate with ICE detainers.
He thanked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for their cooperation.
Homan also announced that ICE has located 3,364 “missing unaccompanied alien children” in Minnesota, whom he said were previously lost during the last administration.
An August 2024 report, published by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, faulted ICE for failing to consistently “monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children” once they are released from federal government custody.
Although the operation in Minnesota will end with a significant drawdown, “a small footprint of personnel will remain for a period of time” to support the transition and ensure agitator activity continues to decline, Homan said.
The border czar noted that the increased cooperation with state and local law enforcement also resulted in a decrease in unlawful agitator activity.
He said there will be “zero tolerance” toward agitators, noting that federal authorities have already arrested over 200 individuals for violating USC 111.
Homan denied claims that ICE has arrested people inside hospitals, schools, or churches. He said that only agitators were arrested inside churches and prosecuted.
By Emel Akan
