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The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to Minnesota, marking an escalation in its rhetoric and actions against the region and its sizable immigrant communities.

Federal Surge Announced by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever underway 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 bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month period. While Lyons did not confirm that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the agency's enforcement push in the state has been ongoing since the start of last month. In response, community members have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

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

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant 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 further stated that officers have been “going door to door” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “ridiculous” and part of a “conflict 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 spiteful, malicious administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's strong condemnation underscores the deep political rift between state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.