Tom Homan says ‘special agents’ will remain in Minnesota to probe fraud cases despite drawdown

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Border czar Tom Homan confirmed that federal authorities are not leaving Minnesota entirely, even as the overall immigration enforcement push winds down.

Appearing on 'The Ingraham Angle', Homan outlined the conclusion of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis while maintaining that a significant presence will remain focused on fraud and other investigations.

Tom Homan declares Minneapolis surge mission success

Homan said the operation had already achieved its objectives.

“[President Trump] sent me to Minneapolis to do three things,” he told host Laura Ingraham. “De-escalate? Done. Take public safety threats off the street. Over 4,000 aliens were arrested. Done. Gain cooperation from state and local law enforcement so it makes the agent's job safer to arrest a public safety threat in a safety and security facility. Done.”

While federal manpower is being scaled back, Homan made it clear the work is not finished. “But even though we're drawing down resources, we still want to have hundreds of special agents here on the street,” he said.

He stressed that officials will continue pursuing fraud-related cases. “The fraud here from the Somali community and others, those fraud investigations are going to continue until they're done,” he said. “We're going to hold people responsible. We also got investigators here doing the church investigation to prove Don Lemon. We're not walking away from anything.”

Homan characterized the Minneapolis initiative as a temporary surge similar to past federal crackdowns that eventually concluded in other cities.

“We've achieved what we came here for,” he insisted. “This is like any other surge operation. LA, it ended. Los Angeles, it ended. Charlotte, it ended. New Orleans, it ended. This is ending the surge, but we're not going away.” Homan added, “And let me say this, over 800 flights a day land in St Paul, Minnesota. If we need to come back, we'll come back.”

Tom Homan scales back Minnesota ICE surge

Speaking earlier at a morning news conference, Homan said he personally recommended reducing the number of federal officers stationed in Minnesota and that the president concurred.

“A small footprint of personnel will remain for a period of time to close out and transition full command control back to the field office, as well as to ensure agitator activity continues to decline and that state and local law enforcement continue to respond to ensure officer and community safety,” Homan said. 

It is a notable rollback of a sweeping immigration enforcement campaign that dominated headlines for months. The operation unfolded amid unrest in Minneapolis and began winding down after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti involving Border Patrol agents.

Following the Pretti shooting, Homan announced that roughly 700 immigration enforcement personnel would begin leaving Minnesota. The shift reportedly came after Trump held what he described as a cordial conversation with Democratic Governor Tim Walz.

Homan also used his remarks to defend the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We’re not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process,” he said, adding that the agency had not arrested anyone at schools or hospitals.

He credited state and local officials for their cooperation during the operation, mentioning Walz along with Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “We’ve seen a big change here in the last couple of weeks, and it’s all good changes,” Homan said.