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The national administration has dispatched additional immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, marking an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant populations.

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, apprehend perpetrators and deport 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 operation ever taking place right now”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official

Reports suggest the federal government is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official 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” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been underway since the start of last month. In response, community members have fought 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 fear of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a DHS video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This focus on Minnesota occurs as the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him targeting 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 companies allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being waged 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 condemnation underscores the significant division between state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.