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The federal government has deployed additional immigration officials to Minnesota, marking an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the state and its immigrant communities.

Operation Details Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport criminal illegal aliens”. The acting director 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”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Official

Reports indicate the federal government is sending another two thousand agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but stated it had “increased law enforcement” presence.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in Minnesota has been underway since early December. In response, local residents have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly stayed away from public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, is believed to be personally involved in the state. She is seen in a DHS video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his nation of origin.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several prominent cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. It is worth noting, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons further stated that officers have been “going door to door” to businesses suspected of hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He praised 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 public statement, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the federal surge “outrageous” and part of a “conflict that’s being waged against Minnesota”.

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

The state's strong criticism highlights the significant political rift between state and federal authorities over this intensifying crackdown.