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

Operation Details Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, apprehend perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official 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, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official

News accounts suggest the federal government is sending another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a one-month period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” the federal enforcement push in Minnesota has been ongoing since early December. In response, community members have fought back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, skipping 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 home country.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several prominent cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him specifically about Somalis. It is worth noting, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “conducting visits” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for running an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz labeled the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “conflict that’s being fought against Minnesota”.

“In my view, any 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 petty, vile administration that is indifferent to the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's strong condemnation underscores the significant political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying crackdown.