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The federal government has deployed additional immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota, marking an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant communities.

Federal Surge Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport criminal illegal aliens”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest 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

Reports indicate the administration is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While Lyons did not verify that specific figure, he called it a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's enforcement push in the state has been ongoing since early December. In response, local residents have fought back against ICE, engaging in protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being apprehended.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is featured in a government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Comments

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several prominent cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and resulted in xenophobic comments from him specifically about Somalis. It is worth noting, Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., and the 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 public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “conflict that’s being waged 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 under assault 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 significant division between state and federal authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.