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

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

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 largest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Acting Director

News accounts 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 verify that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” presence.

Operation Metro Surge and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in Minnesota has been ongoing since early December. In reaction, local residents have pushed 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 detained.

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, appears to be personally involved in the state. She is featured in a DHS video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota occurs as the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and resulted in xenophobic comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, 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 “going door to door” to businesses suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for running an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “ridiculous” and part of a “war that’s being fought against Minnesota”.

“I don’t think 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 petty, vile administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The governor's forceful condemnation highlights the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.