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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 against the state and its immigrant communities.

Operation Details Confirmed by Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The top official of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, stated to a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever taking place 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 sending another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not confirm that specific figure, he called it a combined operation from both agencies. DHS declined to specify a number but stated it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort and Local Fallout

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

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, is believed to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his nation of origin.

Political Context: High-Profile Cases and Comments

This fixation on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging misuse of social services. These cases have reportedly 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 vast majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons added that officers have been “going door to door” to companies allegedly hiring undocumented people and that some agents would be “looking at these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for leading an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against local non-cooperation policies in places like Minnesota.

Governor's Rebuke

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

“I don’t think any 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 petty, vile administration that doesn’t care about the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The state's forceful criticism underscores the significant political rift between state and federal authorities over this escalating enforcement initiative.