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The national administration has dispatched a fresh wave of immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, representing an intensification in its campaign and rhetoric targeting the region and its sizable immigrant populations.

Operation Details Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “deploying additional forces to Minneapolis to eradicate fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal undocumented individuals”. The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons, told a news outlet that the agency has in the city “the biggest immigration crackdown ever underway right now”.

“Our agency has the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now.” – Todd Lyons, ICE Acting Director

News accounts suggest the administration is sending another 2,000 agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a one-month 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 acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” resources.

The Crackdown Effort 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, engaging in protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly stayed away from public life, forgoing trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, is believed to be personally involved in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his home country.

Political Context: Fraud Allegations and Rhetoric

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several high-profile cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have reportedly captured the attention of former President Trump and resulted in xenophobic comments from him specifically about Somalis. Notably, Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali population in the U.S., and the majority of Somalis in the state are U.S. citizens.

Lyons further stated 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 praised Secretary Noem for running an “awesome, successful operation” in Minneapolis and said the agents were fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

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

“I don’t think any state government in history has had to battle against the federal government every single day. We are under assault 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 condemnation highlights the deep political rift between Minnesota and Washington authorities over this escalating crackdown.