The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated a federal immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, deploying approximately 2,000 federal agents and officers. DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have characterized this as the agency's largest immigration enforcement initiative to date. The operation is linked to allegations of fraud, some of which involve residents of Somali descent.
Operation Details and Deployment
Up to 2,000 federal agents and officers from various agencies have been deployed to the Twin Cities. This force includes personnel from:
- ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO): Comprising approximately three-quarters of the deployed personnel, ERO is responsible for immigration arrests and deportations, focusing on individuals accused of violating immigration law.
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI): ICE's investigative arm, which typically focuses on fraud and cross-border criminal networks. HSI agents are reportedly investigating allegations of fraud, human smuggling, and unlawful employment practices in the Twin Cities area.
- Specialized Tactical Units.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Including Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, whose tactics during previous federal operations have been noted by local officials and civil rights advocates.
On-the-Ground Activities and Arrests
Immigrant rights organizations and elected officials in the Twin Cities reported an increased presence of federal agents on Tuesday, particularly in St. Paul. These reports included sightings of agents' vehicles conducting traffic stops and agents present outside businesses and apartment buildings.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was present during at least one arrest. Video footage posted on X showed Secretary Noem, wearing a tactical vest, addressing a handcuffed man in St. Paul with the statement: "You will be held accountable for your crimes." According to a DHS news release, the arrested individual was from Ecuador and was wanted in his home country and Connecticut on charges including murder and sexual assault. DHS also reported that 150 individuals were arrested on Monday in Minneapolis as part of these enforcement actions.
Official and Community Responses
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, commented on the federal enforcement operation, describing it as "a war that's being waged against Minnesota" and "a ridiculous surge of apparently 2,000 people not coordinating with us, that are for a show of cameras."
Last month, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara had previously expressed concerns regarding federal agents' "questionable methods" following a confrontation between agents and protesters. St. Paul City Council member Molly Coleman described Tuesday's activities as "unlike any other day we've experienced," stating that such enforcement creates a climate of heightened caution and apprehension within the community. Julia Decker, policy director at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, and Dieu Do, an organizer with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, also noted an increased federal presence.
Related Developments and Background
Hilton announced on Tuesday that it was removing a Minnesota hotel from its systems. The Hampton Inn Lakeville hotel, owned and operated by a franchisee, had issued an apology on Monday for canceling the reservations of federal agents. Hilton stated that the hotel's denial of service did "not meet our standards and values."
Federal authorities began increasing immigration arrests in the Minneapolis area in late 2023. Weeks prior, Secretary Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel announced intensified federal operations in Minnesota, with an emphasis on fraud investigations. Former President Donald Trump had previously connected his administration's immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota to fraud cases involving federal nutrition and pandemic aid programs, many of which had involved defendants with ties to the Somali community.
The scope and duration of the current operation are subject to change.