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The national administration has dispatched additional immigration officials to Minnesota, marking an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant communities.

Federal Surge Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest 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 crackdown ever underway right now”.

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

Reports suggest the administration is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month period. While the ICE official did not confirm that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in Minnesota has been ongoing since early December. In reaction, community members have pushed back against ICE, engaging in protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a DHS video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota occurs as the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the attention of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him targeting 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 companies allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “conflict that’s being fought against Minnesota”.

“In my view, any government in history has had to battle against the federal government every single day. We are being attacked like no other time in our state’s history because of a spiteful, malicious administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The governor's forceful criticism underscores the significant division between state and federal authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.