Border czar Tom Homan Ends Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Mass Detentions, Protests and Two Deaths

Tom Homan — labeled by multiple outlets as the administration's 'border czar' and in some reports as acting ICE chief — announced a drawdown of the large federal immigration enforcement deployment in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area known as "Operation Metro Surge," saying roughly 700 officers will leave and that enforcement will continue in a more targeted form.

“A local law-enforcement office said it does not carry out civil immigration enforcement and that its policies remain unchanged amid strong public reaction to Operation Metro Surge”

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Sources report the pullback followed mass protests, political pressure and two fatal shootings that intensified criticism of the operation.

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Homan characterized the effort as successful, citing thousands of arrests, while local and state officials described deep community harm and demanded accountability.

Homan and several sources cite roughly 4,000 arrests and describe peaks of up to about 3,000 deployed agents.

Critics and many local reports stress that numerous detainees reportedly had no criminal records and included children and U.S. citizens.

@globaltimesnews

Outlets also vary on the count of how many agents remain: some report about 2,000 staying for now, others emphasize the immediate exit of around 700 agents, and timelines for a full withdrawal differ by report.

Two U.S. citizens identified in numerous reports as Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot in separate encounters with federal agents during the surge.

“DHS “border czar” Thomas Homan announced the end of a large-scale ICE deployment in the Minneapolis–St”

ABC7 New York

Those deaths sharply intensified scrutiny and prompted leadership changes and investigations.

Outlets report that Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was removed or reassigned amid criticism.

The Justice Department opened a civil-rights probe into at least one shooting.

Local officials and activists demanded further accountability.

Local leaders and community members — including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey — framed the surge as damaging to communities.

Federal officials defended the surge as removing dangerous criminals and argued that improved coordination justified scaling back the visible deployment.

Al Jazeera

Lawmakers pressed DHS officials and some Democrats threatened funding consequences.

Several outlets report hearings and congressional scrutiny are underway or likely.

Some outlets and commentators describe the drawdown as a necessary recovery step and cautious relief for immigrant communities.

“Federal officials say the immigration crackdown in Minnesota is coming to an end, after mass detentions, protests and two deaths”

Associated Press

Strongly critical commentators call for sweeping reforms and criminal accountability for agents' conduct.

Associated Press

Reports note operational changes Homan ordered, including promises of body cameras and 'more surgical' tactics.

Independent details about arrests and coordination remain limited in many accounts.