President Donald Trump moved Monday to intensify federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, announcing that border czar Tom Homan will be sent to the Twin Cities to personally oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations following weeks of unrest, violent protests and mounting political fallout tied to ICE activity.
The decision places Homan directly in charge of enforcement efforts in Minneapolis and St. Paul, reporting straight to the president.
Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social, describing Homan as a seasoned enforcement official who would take a hands-on role in restoring order amid escalating confrontations between federal agents and anti-ICE activists.
The president framed the decision as a necessary intervention after repeated disruptions to enforcement actions and growing security concerns surrounding ICE operations in the region.
The deployment comes as Minnesota has become a flashpoint in the administration’s broader immigration agenda.
In recent weeks, protests opposing ICE activity have drawn large crowds, some of which federal officials say turned violent and directly interfered with active law enforcement operations targeting criminal illegal aliens.
Authorities have blamed organized agitators for deliberately obstructing arrests and endangering officers in the field.
Trump also linked the unrest to a sweeping fraud investigation underway in Minnesota, claiming that a massive welfare fraud scheme has helped fuel organized protest activity.
The president said the alleged fraud totals more than $20 billion and is under review by federal investigators and congressional committees.
He further asserted that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is facing scrutiny as part of broader inquiries, adding that multiple agencies are examining the matter.
Homan’s arrival follows a series of high-profile confrontations that have intensified national attention on federal enforcement tactics in the Twin Cities.
Two anti-ICE protesters, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, were killed in separate encounters with federal agents earlier this month.
Pretti’s death over the weekend remains under investigation and has sparked renewed protests, heightened political rhetoric, and calls for de-escalation from state and local officials.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan’s role will extend beyond immigration arrests, confirming that he will manage ICE operations on the ground while coordinating with officials involved in ongoing fraud investigations.
The White House declined to say whether Homan’s deployment reflects diminished confidence in existing ICE leadership in Minnesota, emphasizing instead that the move is designed to stabilize operations and improve coordination, according to Fox News.
Federal officials say the unrest has already produced tangible consequences for public safety.
During a protest last week, ICE and Border Patrol agents were forced to abandon a targeted arrest after demonstrators interfered and assaulted officers.
U.S. Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino said the suspect escaped as a direct result of the confrontation and remains at large.
“This individual is still roaming the streets today,” Bovino said, placing blame on political leaders and activists who encouraged resistance to federal law enforcement operations.
Amid the turmoil, Trump revealed that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) contacted him to discuss coordination between state and federal authorities.
According to CNBC, the president described the call as productive, saying the two appeared to be “on a similar wavelength” and that Walz expressed support for Homan’s involvement in the state.
Despite calls from some officials to scale back enforcement, Minnesota remains a focal point of the administration’s aggressive immigration strategy.
With Homan assuming direct oversight and multiple investigations unfolding simultaneously, federal officials have signaled that enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities are likely to intensify rather than retreat.
