Border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that the federal immigration surge operation in Minneapolis will officially come to a close, declaring that the objectives set by President Donald Trump’s administration have been met.
Speaking at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling during his third press conference since being tasked with overseeing intensified ICE operations in the city, Homan said Operation Metro Surge had achieved the results the administration sought when it launched the enforcement push in Minnesota.
“The operation has yielded the successful results” the administration was aiming for, Homan stated, pointing to what he described as meaningful progress on several fronts.
According to Homan, the surge led to enhanced cooperation with local authorities, a decline in what he called “unlawful agitator activity,” and the removal of “public safety threats off the street.” Those developments, he said, paved the way for winding down the increased federal presence.
“I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude,” Homan said. He later added that law enforcement personnel assigned to the operation would either return to their original duty stations or be reassigned elsewhere.
“Law enforcement officers drawing down from this surge operation will either return to the duty stations or be assigned elsewhere,” he explained.
Homan credited the improvements to the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy under Trump’s leadership.
“Twin Cities and Minnesota in general are and will continue to be much safer for the communities here because of what we have accomplished under President Trump’s leadership,” he said.
The decision to scale back the surge follows a significant redeployment of federal resources. Last week, Homan confirmed that 700 of the nearly 3,000 federal immigration officers deployed to Minnesota would be reassigned. He characterized the move as responsive to working with the state’s Democratic leaders, signaling a shift after weeks of heightened enforcement activity.
Homan assumed control of the operation after former Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino was demoted. The leadership change came in the wake of the deaths of two anti-ICE activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed in confrontations with law enforcement officers last month.
The surge operation had drawn national attention as federal authorities intensified their presence in Minneapolis, part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to step up immigration enforcement in key areas. Homan’s remarks Thursday framed the conclusion of Operation Metro Surge as a milestone rather than a retreat, emphasizing what he described as tangible gains in public safety and coordination with local officials.
With the drawdown now underway, federal immigration officers will transition back to their home assignments or be deployed to other areas as needed. Homan made clear that while the surge in Minneapolis is ending, the administration’s broader enforcement priorities remain intact.
The message from Fort Snelling was direct: the mission in Minneapolis has been accomplished, and the administration believes the city is safer as a result.
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