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The federal government has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to Minnesota, marking an escalation in its rhetoric and actions targeting the region and its sizable immigrant communities.

Operation Details Announced by Homeland Security

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 top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the largest immigration crackdown ever taking place right now”.

“We have the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Official

Reports indicate 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 described it as a combined operation from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “increased law enforcement” resources.

Operation Metro Surge and Local Fallout

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

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be personally involved 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: High-Profile Cases and Rhetoric

This fixation on Minnesota occurs as the state is grappling with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have allegedly captured the focus of former President Trump and led to anti-immigrant comments from him targeting Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons further stated that officers have been “conducting visits” to businesses allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He praised Secretary Noem for leading an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

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

“I don’t think 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 doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's strong criticism underscores the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.