White House border czar Tom Homan stated that the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota is concluding, with a small federal security force remaining briefly for agent protection. The announcement comes amid a partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding disputes. Democrats are pushing for reforms to immigration agent practices, which Homan dismissed as unreasonable.
On Thursday, Tom Homan, the White House border czar, announced the end of "Operation Metro Surge," a Trump administration initiative that deployed thousands of immigration agents to Minnesota. The operation, which drew widespread protests, resulted in the removal of well over 1,000 individuals, with several hundred more scheduled for removal on Monday and Tuesday. Homan said the effort would return to its original footprint, except for agents continuing investigations into allegations of fraud related to day care funds and an anti-ICE protest that disrupted services at a church where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as pastor.
Speaking on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, Homan explained that a "small" federal security force would stay in Minnesota "for a short period of time." He described its role as responding to situations where agents are surrounded by agitators and ensuring coordination with local and state law enforcement remains in place. "They'll remain for a short period of time, just to make sure the coordination, the agreements we have with local state law enforcement stay in place, and they respond to a public safety threat when needed," Homan said. He expressed hope that the force could be removed "fairly quickly."
The operation faced criticism after immigration agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking protests. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security entered a partial shutdown over the weekend when lawmakers failed to agree on funding. Democrats demanded policy changes, including requiring agents to show identification, wear body cameras, remove masks, end racial profiling, and obtain judicial warrants for entering private property.
Homan, who is not involved in the negotiations, rejected claims of racial profiling, stating that ICE detains and questions individuals based on reasonable suspicion. On masks, he said, "I don't like the masks either," but noted assaults against ICE officers are up over 1,500% and threats over 8,000%. He cited recent doxing of the ICE director's family as justification for officer safety measures and suggested legislation to criminalize doxing agents. Homan attributed the heightened tensions to over 10 million illegal border crossings in the previous four years, which he said necessitated ICE's response to prior open border policies.