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The federal government has dispatched additional immigration officials to the state of Minnesota, marking an escalation in its campaign and rhetoric against the region and its sizable immigrant populations.

Federal Surge Announced by DHS

The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed on social media that it is “surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, apprehend 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 bringing in another two thousand agents, from both ICE and HSI, into the state for a 30-day period. While the ICE official did not confirm that specific figure, he described it as a joint effort from both agencies. DHS would not confirm a number but acknowledged it had “surged law enforcement” presence.

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, organizing protests and impeding deportations. Meanwhile, some immigrants have reportedly avoided public life, skipping trips to grocery stores or medical care due to apprehension of being detained.

The top DHS official, Kristi Noem, appears to be on the ground in the state. She is seen in a government-produced video of an apprehension in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador sought for murder in his nation of origin.

Broader Backdrop: Fraud Allegations and Comments

This focus on Minnesota comes while the state is dealing with several prominent cases alleging fraud of social services. These cases have reportedly drawn the attention of former President Trump and resulted in anti-immigrant comments from him specifically about Somalis. It is worth noting, 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 “investigating these fraud cases”. He commended Secretary Noem for running an “highly effective operation” in Minneapolis and framed the effort as fighting against sanctuary policies in places like Minnesota.

State Leadership Response

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

“I don’t think any state government in history has had to fight a war 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 is indifferent to the well being of Minnesotans.” – Governor Tim Walz

The governor's forceful condemnation underscores the deep political rift between state and federal authorities over this intensifying enforcement initiative.