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

Operation Details Announced by DHS

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 underway right now”.

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

Reports indicate the administration is bringing in another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's crackdown in Minnesota has been underway since early December. In response, community members have fought back against ICE, organizing protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly stayed away from public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being detained.

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

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the focus of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him targeting Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “going door to door” to companies suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for running an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled 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 petty, vile administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

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