U.S. border tsar Tom Homan, newly appointed to oversee President Donald Trump's immigration policies in Minneapolis, said agents would concentrate on targeted, strategic enforcement following weeks of criticism over heavy-handed tactics.
He said the 3,000 agents deployed to the area may be reduced after meetings with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials.
According to Homan, coordination had improved across agencies, prompting expectations of operational changes.
A directive reviewed by Reuters instructs Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to avoid unnecessary contact with protesters described in the memo as agitators.
It also limits enforcement to immigrants with criminal charges or convictions. The shift replaces earlier street checks that required people to produce proof of legal U.S. residence on demand.
Homan said teams would focus on individuals considered threats to public safety or national security but stressed that the wider enforcement mission remained.
His comments contrasted with remarks from President Trump, who warned on his Truth Social platform that Mayor Frey was "playing with fire" by refusing to involve city authorities in immigration enforcement roles.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said 16 people were arrested on Wednesday (28 January) for allegedly assaulting or obstructing federal agents.
In a separate development, a federal judge in Minneapolis said ICE had ignored dozens of court orders during the operation.
Judge Patrick Schiltz cited 96 violations in 74 cases and said the pattern raised serious rule-of-law questions.
Observers tracking ICE activity told Reuters that raids slowed on Tuesday before resuming on Wednesday in a more focused form.
Trump had earlier said he wanted to reduce tensions and replaced Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino with Homan after sharp criticism of earlier tactics.
The state of Minnesota has been unsettled since the launch of Operation Metro Surge and the fatal shootings of Renee Good on 7 January and intensive care nurse Alex Pretti days later.
Officials initially described both as domestic terrorists, claims widely challenged after videos of the shootings emerged.
Footage verified by Reuters shows Pretti holding only a phone when agents forced him to the ground.
An agent removed a handgun from his waist moments before another officer shot him in the back while he was restrained. Pretti had a legal permit to carry the firearm.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 11th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least 13 people have been injured in two shootings in Minneapolis within 12 hours, police said.
The gunman who killed two children and injured 18 others at a Minneapolis church on Wednesday was fixated on murdering children, after leaving behind detailed writings and ammunition stockpiles say authorities.
Communities gathered at a candlelight vigil in Lynnhurst Park, Minneapolis on Wednesday with Minnesota lawmakers urging national action on gun control following a deadly shooting at a Catholic church earlier that day which killed two children and wounded 17 people.
The drumbeats have finally faded at the Marquês de Sapucaí, bringing the competitive phase of the Rio Carnival 2026 to a dazzling close. Over two marathon nights of spectacle, the twelve elite schools of the "Special Group" transformed the Sambadrome into a riot of colour.
Peru’s Congress has voted to censure and remove José Enrique Jeri Ore from his posts as President of Congress and acting President of the Republic, just four months into his tenure, citing undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessmen and alleged hiring irregularities.
France celebrated Olympic gold in the men’s biathlon relay in Anterselva on Tuesday (17 February), following a thrilling race marked by an electric atmosphere at the stadium.
Aghdam’s Qarabag FK experienced a 6–1 defeat to England’s Newcastle United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie in Azerbaijan's capital Baku Wednesday evening (18 February).
Qarabağ FK are facing Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League play-off round on Wednesday evening in Baku, in what will be the first UEFA competition meeting between the two clubs.
Iranian and Russian navies staged a joint exercise in the northern Indian Ocean on Thursday, as Washington builds up its military assets in the region, including deploying warships near Iran, despite renewed indirect nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
Britain's King Charles III has stressed that “the law must take its course” after his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, insisting a full, fair and proper investigation be carried out by the appropriate authorities.
The Trump administration has given immigration officers wider powers to detain legal refugees awaiting green cards, ordering their return to custody for renewed vetting one year after entering the U.S.
Peruvian lawmakers elected Jose Balcazar as the country's new interim president on Wednesday (18 February) ahead of general elections in April.
The Telegram messaging app has dismissed allegations by the Russian government that its encryption has been breached by foreign intelligence services saying that it's not found any breaches of its encryption.
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