Trump sends border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota after federal agent shootings, exposing rifts

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump’s announcement that veteran ICE official Tom Homan will be dispatched to Minneapolis on Monday, a move welcomed by some Department of Homeland Security officials, is a long-awaited intervention amid mounting controversy.

Homan’s deployment hints at a possible sidelining of the hardline tactics linked to senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and underscores internal dispute over the administration's immigration strategy.

DHS officials expressed relief that Homan's involvement, noting his decases of expereince in federal law enforcement and crisis management. 

Competing enforcement philosophies inside DHS

Bovino’s aggressive enforcement stance has been strongly backed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Homan, by contrast, favours a more targeted approach, focusing on public safety and national security threats, while still allowing for arrests of so-called “collaterals,” encountered during focused operations.

That strategy contrasts with recent citywide sweeps, which have drawn sharp criticism following violent federal encounters. 

While Homan publicly supports Trump’s immigration goals, tensions between his faction and Noem's have simmered for months, with little direct communication, according to officials and a CNN report. 

Noem publicly backs Homan despite internal strains

Despite those reported strains, Noem welcomed Homan’s deployment in a post on X on Monday, calling it “good news.”

“I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team,” Noem wrote. “His experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations, which have robbed Americans, and will help us to remove even more public safety threats and violent criminal illegal aliens off the streets of Minneapolis.”

Trump puts Homan directly in charge

Trump formally announced Homan’s deployment on Monday, January 26, saying the former ICE director would take direct control of federal operations in Minnesota. 

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Homan would arrive “tonight” and would oversee ICE activity while coordinating with officials leading investigations into what the administration describes as widespread financial fraud. The president described Homan as “tough but fair” and said he would bypass traditional chains of command and “report directly to me.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the move, stating that Homan will be “managing ICE operations on the ground in Minnesota” with a mandate to arrest the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” She added that Homan will also coordinate with officials involved in financial crime probes.

It remains unclear how Bovino’s responsibilities will change as Homan assumes control.

Minneapolis at center of enforcement turmoil

Minnesota has become a flashpoint in the administration’s immigration crackdown following multiple confrontations between federal agents and demonstrators, including the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, one of two US citizens killed during an immigration-related operation. The incident sparked widespread protests, intense media scrutiny, and growing criticism of DHS’s tactics and public messaging.

The fallout has exposed fractures within the administration, with some officials warning that overly aggressive enforcement and disputed claims about the shootings risk undermining support for Trump’s broader immigration agenda. Homan’s deployment is widely seen inside DHS as an effort to regain control of operations and the narrative.

Former DHS officials and politicians from both parties have called for more accountability and independent investigations, even as the White House defends the operations as lawful and necessary.