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The U.S. government has announced that about 700 federal immigration enforcement officers will immediately leave Minnesota. These officers were part of a large federal operation in the state.
Tom Homan, who has been put in charge of immigration efforts by President Trump, said the decision comes after local and state officials in Minnesota began cooperating more with federal immigration authorities. That cooperation includes turning over people who are arrested and could be deported. Homan said this cooperation means fewer officers are needed in the area.
Before this change, around 3,000 federal officers were in Minnesota, many in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. With 700 leaving, about 2,000 will still stay to continue immigration work.
The federal operation in Minnesota has been controversial. There were protests and public anger, especially after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal officers, including a protester named Alex Pretti. Those incidents sparked a lot of criticism from community leaders, activists, and local officials.
Homan praised the operation, saying that work done so far has helped public safety by arresting people the government considers criminal immigrants. He acknowledged it wasn’t perfect but said the operation now has better coordination and that officers are following the rules.
The move to withdraw some officers was also influenced by signals from President Trump that the federal government might try to reduce tensions in Minnesota following the protests and legal challenges from local authorities.
Even with the drawdown, the government says it still plans to enforce immigration laws strongly in Minnesota and across the U.S. Officials emphasize that the remaining officers will focus on targeted efforts and work with local partners where possible.