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

Operation Details Confirmed by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and deport criminal illegal aliens”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.

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

Reports suggest the federal government is bringing in another two thousand agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a one-month period. While the ICE official did not verify that specific figure, he called it a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Community Impact

Dubbed “Metro Surge,” the federal crackdown in the state has been ongoing since early December. In response, local residents have pushed back against ICE, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to fear of being apprehended.

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, appears to be personally involved in the state. She is featured 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 Comments

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and led to xenophobic comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, 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 added that officers have been “going door to door” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

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

“In my view, 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 forceful criticism underscores the deep division between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating enforcement initiative.