🔗 Share this article Trump Government Escalates Attack on Minnesota with More Immigration Agents The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, representing an intensification in its rhetoric and actions targeting the region and its sizable immigrant populations. Federal Surge Announced by DHS The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest 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 largest immigration crackdown ever taking place right now”. “We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Reports indicate the administration is sending 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 confirm that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but stated it had “increased law enforcement” presence. The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's enforcement push in Minnesota has been underway since early December. In reaction, community members have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, forgoing 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 featured in a DHS video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his nation of origin. Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Rhetoric This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him targeting Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens. Lyons added that officers have been “conducting visits” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading 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 “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being fought 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 state's forceful condemnation highlights the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating crackdown.