The Trump administration will withdraw 700 ICE agents from Minnesota, scaling back its immigration enforcement surge, border czar Tom Homan said on Wednesday.
Homan said the drawdown follows what he described as “unprecedented cooperation” from Minnesota’s elected sheriffs and local authorities, particularly in county jails, which he said has improved the efficiency of immigration enforcement operations.
“Let me be clear, President Trump fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country,” Homan told reporters. “President Trump made a promise. And we have not directed otherwise.”
Thousands of federal immigration agents, mostly from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have been deployed in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul in recent months as part of an operation the administration has referred to as Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Homeland Security says about 3,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested since the operation began.
After the withdrawal of 700 agents, around 2,000 federal officers are expected to remain in Minnesota, most of them concentrated in the Twin Cities area, according to Homan.
The surge has triggered protests and drawn national attention following the killing of two U.S. citizens during encounters involving federal agents in Minnesota.
Homan said stronger coordination with state and local officials now allows more individuals to be taken into custody directly from jails, reducing the need for street-level operations.
“More officers taking custody of criminal aliens directly from the jails means fewer officers on the street doing criminal operations,” he said. “This is smart law enforcement, not less law enforcement.”
The White House has sent mixed signals on whether the Minnesota deployment represents a broader shift in strategy or a tactical adjustment. While Homan described the move as a step toward ending the surge, Trump has repeatedly said his administration remains committed to aggressive nationwide immigration enforcement.
The partial withdrawal comes as immigration continues to be a central issue for Trump, who has made mass deportations and border security key pillars of his domestic agenda.
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to di...
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while d...
International organisations, investors, environmental experts and business representatives gathered in Samarkand for the opening of Eco Expo Central A...
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international eff...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said Yerevan remains committed to normalising relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, expressing confidenc...
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to discuss the China-facilitated Urumqi Process and regional security concerns.
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while dying from stab wounds after his attacker falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault.
International organisations, investors, environmental experts and business representatives gathered in Samarkand for the opening of Eco Expo Central Asia 2026, one of the region's largest environmental events focused on green growth, climate resilience and sustainable development.
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international effort to contain the disease before it spreads further.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Competing narratives continue to shape perceptions of the war in Ukraine, with Russian leadership suggesting a possible end phase while Ukrainian officials warn of renewed large-scale attacks and ongoing escalation risks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister on efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Lebanon. According to a U.S. official, Washington has proposed a plan aimed at achieving a gradual de-escalation of hostilities.
When Armenians vote on 7 June, they will be voting in an election shaped by months of political change and a rapidly deepening relationship with the European Union. The result may not only determine who governs Armenia but also the future direction of the country's geopolitical alignment.
Dutch police have launched an investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' centre in Zeist after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while dying from stab wounds after his attacker falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault.
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international effort to contain the disease before it spreads further.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck a cargo ship owned by the “American-Zionist enemy” with a cruise missile after an Iranian freighter was attacked in the Sea of Oman.
Dutch police have launched an investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' centre in Zeist after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Monday that his government would begin legal proceedings to remove President Tamás Sulyok if he continues to reject calls to resign.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment