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President Donald Trump has decided to cease the controversial deportation initiative in Minnesota, which had stirred significant public outcry. The immigration enforcement officers are set to withdraw from the state within the coming week.
As part of Operation Metro Surge, Trump had stationed approximately 3,000 armed immigration agents in Minnesota by the end of January, tasked with deporting individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
Last month, two separate incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents resulted in the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens. These individuals were reportedly participating in protests or monitoring the actions of the agents.
The initiative faced strong opposition from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, alongside numerous residents who took to the streets of Minneapolis to express their dissent.
This conflict with Minnesota has escalated into one of the most intense political challenges of Trump’s presidency.
White House border czar Tom Homan said on Thursday that the operation would conclude, a rare retreat by the Trump administration that came after even fellow Republicans raised questions about the operation.
Recovery ‘starts now’
Promises of mass deportations fuelled Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, but support for his policies cooled as immigration officers were deployed in military-style gear on streets across the country, prompting massive protests.
A week ago, Homan announced that about 700 out of 3,000 immigration agents would be withdrawn.
Without giving precise numbers, he said on Thursday that many of the remaining agents deployed from other states would be sent home in the coming week, citing in part what he called “unprecedented” coordination with local law enforcement agencies in Minnesota.
Before the surge, about 150 immigration agents worked in Minnesota, according to the Trump administration.
“ICE will continue to identify, arrest and remove illegal aliens that pose a risk to public safety, like we’ve done for years and our officers will carry out those duties with professionalism, integrity and compassion, like we’ve done for years,” Homan said.
Trump has said the surge was in the interest of public safety, describing many migrants, in sweeping terms, as violent criminals or fraudsters. Walz and other Minnesotans said the sometimes-violent federal surge has degraded public safety, and impinged on the constitutional rights of both migrants and Americans.
“The long road to recovery starts now,” Walz said in a statement.
“The impact on our economy, our schools, and people’s lives won’t be reversed overnight. That work starts today.”
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