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The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration enforcement agents to Minnesota, marking an escalation in its rhetoric and actions targeting the region and its sizable immigrant populations.

Federal Surge 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 remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration operation ever taking place right now”.

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

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

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in Minnesota has been ongoing since early December. In response, local residents have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly stayed away from public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be personally involved in the state. She is featured in a DHS video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This focus on Minnesota occurs as the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant comments from him targeting 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 “going door to door” to companies suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for running an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

In a public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “ridiculous” and part of a “conflict that’s being fought against Minnesota”.

“I don’t think 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 spiteful, malicious administration that is indifferent to the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

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