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The federal government has dispatched additional immigration officials to Minnesota, marking an escalation in its rhetoric and actions against the state and its immigrant populations.

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, apprehend perpetrators and deport criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to 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 suggest the administration is bringing in another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not confirm that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but stated it had “surged law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the agency's enforcement push in the state has been ongoing since early December. In reaction, community members have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and attempting to block deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being apprehended.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his nation of origin.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This focus on Minnesota occurs as the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and resulted in 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 further stated that officers have been “going door to door” to companies suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “outrageous” 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 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 strong condemnation underscores the significant division between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying crackdown.