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The national administration has deployed a fresh wave of immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, representing an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric targeting the region and its sizable immigrant communities.

Federal Surge Announced by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, apprehend perpetrators and remove 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 taking place right now”.

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

News accounts suggest the federal government is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, 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 “increased law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been underway since the start of last month. In response, community members have fought back against ICE, engaging in protests and impeding 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 government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.

Broader Backdrop: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This fixation on Minnesota occurs as 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 resulted in xenophobic comments from him specifically about 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 “going door to door” 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 framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “war that’s being fought 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 forceful condemnation underscores the significant division between state and federal authorities over this escalating crackdown.