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The national administration has dispatched additional immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, marking an intensification in its rhetoric and actions targeting the state and its immigrant populations.

Federal Surge Confirmed by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport 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 taking place right now”.

“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director

News accounts suggest the administration is bringing in another 2,000 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 combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been ongoing since the start of last month. In response, community members have pushed back against ICE, engaging in protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have allegedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a DHS video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the focus of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “going door to door” to companies 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.

Governor's Rebuke

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

“I don’t think any government in history has had to battle against the federal government every single day. We are under assault like no other time in our state’s history because of a spiteful, malicious administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's strong criticism underscores the deep division between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating crackdown.