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The federal government has deployed a fresh wave of immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota, representing an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its 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 deport criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the largest immigration operation ever underway right now”.

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

News accounts suggest the federal government is bringing in another two thousand agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month 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 “surged law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been underway since early December. In response, local residents have fought back against ICE, organizing protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly stayed away from 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 DHS video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Broader Backdrop: Fraud Allegations and Comments

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the focus of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him targeting Somalis. It is worth noting, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “going door to door” to companies allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for running an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

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

“In my view, any 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 strong condemnation highlights the significant political rift between state and federal authorities over this escalating enforcement initiative.