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The national administration has deployed a fresh wave of immigration enforcement agents to the state of Minnesota, representing an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the region and its sizable immigrant communities.

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport 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 crackdown ever taking place right now”.

“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official

News accounts suggest the administration is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he described it as a combined operation from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in Minnesota has been ongoing since the start of last month. In reaction, local residents 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 fear of being detained.

The homeland security secretary, 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 sought for murder in his home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him specifically about 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 “conducting visits” to businesses suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against local non-cooperation 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 waged 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 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 condemnation underscores the deep division between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying crackdown.