Homan to End Minnesota Operations if Jail Agent Access Granted
- President Trump's border policy adviser, Tom Homan, said Thursday that federal authorities would wind down immigration crackdowns in Minnesota only if agents were given access to jails to...
- Speaking to reporters publicly for the first time since arriving Minnesota on Monday after Border Patrol agents fatally shot two U.S.
- "The withdrawal of law enforcement resources here is dependent upon cooperation," Homan said Thursday.
President Trump’s border policy adviser, Tom Homan, said Thursday that federal authorities would wind down immigration crackdowns in Minnesota only if agents were given access to jails to seize undocumented immigrants for deportation.
Speaking to reporters publicly for the first time since arriving Minnesota on Monday after Border Patrol agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens during immigration operations, Homan suggested it might very well be a while before the Trump administration pulls federal agents out of Minneapolis.
“The withdrawal of law enforcement resources here is dependent upon cooperation,” Homan said Thursday. “As we see that cooperation happen, then the redeployment will happen.”
Homan, whom Trump deployed to Minnesota this week to bring down the political temperature after Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis street, said the federal government was not backing down from its aggressive immigration agenda.
“We are not surrendering our mission at all,” he said. “We are not surrendering the president’s mission of immigration enforcement. Let’s make that clear.”
Homan’s focus on jails is not a new position for the Trump administration. He and other senior officials have long argued they would not be targeting immigrants in communities in Democratic-led cities if local officials allowed federal immigration officers access to their jails.
On Saturday, the day federal immigration agents shot Pretti, U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz saying he could “bring an end to the chaos” in his state by, among other things, repealing sanctuary city policies and allowing federal agents into local jails.
Data from last year show that Republican-led states,such as Texas and Florida,have higher arrest numbers of immigrants than Democratic-led states,particularly when measured against population. That’s as they have a longer history of working directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and are more committed to collaboration.
In red states,local law enforcement officers tend to work with federal agents,either by taking on ICE duties through so-called 287(g) agreements or by identifying undocumented immigrants who are incarcerated and letting ICE into their jails and prisons.
while blue states, such as California, do cooperate with federal immigration - sharing details with ICE about undocumented immigrants with serious felonies – they do not allow federal agents access to those who have committed lesser infractions. Red states,however,are more likely to share information about offenses that may not be as severe,such as traffic infractions.
Trump announced Monday he was sending Homan to Minnesota – sidelining Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who had been leading operations in the state, as public outrage swelled over the killing of Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse.
Pretti was the second U.S. citizen fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks. On Jan. 7, a federal officer shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.
“I’m not here because the federal government has carried out this mission perfectly,” Homan said thursday. “Nothing’s ever perfect, and anything can be improved on.And what we’ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient, by the book.”
Homan added: “President Trump wants this fixed, and I’m going to fix it.”
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ICE Operations in Minnesota and Federal Agent Safety
Table of Contents
Federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, specifically under “Operation Metro Surge” during the Trump administration, have faced scrutiny regarding agent safety and the scope of enforcement priorities. Concerns arose after reports of threats and assaults against federal agents, alongside internal directives to limit engagement with protesters and focus on individuals with criminal records.
Thomas Homan and ICE’s Stance on Public Safety
Thomas Homan, a former ICE director, stated that the agency’s role in Minneapolis was to uphold public safety and respond to needs beyond immigration enforcement, specifically “to keep the peace.” ICE’s official statements consistently emphasize public safety as a core mission component.
Homan also advised those opposed to ICE’s actions to direct their protests towards Congress, the legislative body responsible for immigration laws. This reflects a common stance by ICE officials who maintain they are enforcing existing laws.
Operation Metro Surge and Increased Enforcement
More than 3,000 federal immigration agents were deployed to Minnesota under Operation Metro Surge during the Trump administration. The Department of Justice announced Operation Metro Surge in July 2019,outlining its focus on cities with what they termed “sanctuary policies.” The operation aimed to increase immigration enforcement in those areas.
Internal ICE Directive to Avoid “Agitators”
An internal ICE memo, dated Wednesday (the specific date was not provided in the source, but Reuters reported on this in 2019), directed officers in Minnesota to avoid engaging with “agitators” and prioritize the apprehension of “aliens with a criminal history.” This directive, issued by Marcos Charles, a top official in ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division, aimed to de-escalate tensions and focus resources on individuals deemed a higher risk to public safety.Reuters reported on the memo, providing details of the instructions given to officers.
As of January 29, 2026, there have been no further publicly released internal memos detailing changes to this directive. The Biden administration has shifted ICE priorities, focusing more on national security threats and individuals who pose a public safety risk, but the core principle of prioritizing enforcement based on criminal history remains a notable factor. department of Homeland Security Enforcement Priorities (February 2, 2021).