The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in Minnesota concluded on Thursday, according to Tom Homan, President Trump’s border tsar, bringing an end to an operation that sparked weeks of protests and resulted in over 4,000 arrests.
Homan told reporters that President Trump had approved his request to end Operation Metro Surge, though he will remain in Minnesota “a little longer to oversee the drawdown, to ensure its success.” The operation, Homan stated, led to the detention of numerous undocumented immigrants with records of violent crimes. However, the surge was also shadowed by the deaths of two U.S. Citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by immigration officers, triggering nationwide demonstrations.
Following Homan’s announcement, a hearing was held on Capitol Hill involving Minnesota and federal officials to address Trump’s broader immigration crackdown. Homan asserted that officials in Minnesota had “greatly reduce[d] the number of targets” for enforcement, characterizing Operation Metro Surge as a “great success.” He detailed that those arrested included individuals convicted of rape and other sexual misconduct.
ICE, Homan emphasized, will maintain a presence in Minnesota despite the end of the surge. He credited the operation’s success to an “unprecedented level of cooperation” between federal agents and local law enforcement, citing increased crackdowns on protesters – whom he labeled “public safety threats” – and greater willingness from local jails to inform ICE of release dates for individuals sought for deportation.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded to the announcement with “cautious optimism,” acknowledging the operation had inflicted “deep damage, generational trauma,” and caused “economic ruin in some cases.” Walz also noted the existence of “many unanswered questions” stemming from the operation.
The administration’s decision to end the surge comes after weeks of scrutiny and protest. NPR reported on February 13th that the operation had led to thousands of arrests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. Citizens, events widely documented through video footage. The BBC reported on February 12th that the surge was ending, citing Homan’s statements.
According to a timeline published by PBS News, the operation faced further complications when South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem characterized an incident involving ICE officers as an “act of domestic terrorism,” a claim later echoed by Vice President JD Vance.
