Trump administration announces the withdrawal of 700 federal agents from Minneapolis

The Trump administration will withdraw approximately 700 federal agents from the nearly 3,000 deployed in Minneapolis. At a press conference on Wednesday, border czar Tom Homan announced that the withdrawal is a consequence of increased support from local authorities for operations against migrants.

“Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less public safety officers to do this work and a safer environment, I am announcing, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan stated.

Homan took command of operations in Minnesota’s Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) after the deaths of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were shot by agents, triggered a wave of protests across the country. U.S. President Donald Trump, who initially backed the Department of Homeland Security’s version blaming the victims, was forced to change strategy to calm tensions. He removed Gregory Bovino, the head of the Border Patrol and the main defender of violent tactics in migration operations, and replaced him with Homan, who announced upon arriving in Minneapolis that they would be de-escalating operations.

As an alternative to the raids that had been taking place on the city’s streets for weeks, the border czar urged local jails to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which inmates could be deported, arguing that transferring those inmates to the agency is safer because it reduces the need for agents to search for undocumented people.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have clashed with the Trump administration over the two killings and the excessive use of force by police against protesters.

The White House has long blamed the problems in arresting migrants on jurisdictions known as sanctuary cities, a term that applies to state and local governments that limit law enforcement cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.

Homan said that 158 ​​people had been arrested during the protests in the city. “I said in March, if the rhetoric doesn’t stop, there is gonna be bloodshed,” Homan said at the end of January. “And there has been.”

On Wednesday, Homan said that he considers ICE’s operation in Minnesota a success. “Yeah, I just listed a bunch of people we took off the streets of the Twin Cities, so I think it’s very effective as far as public safety goes,” Homan said. “Was it a perfect operation? No. No. We created one unified chain of command to make sure everybody is on the same page. And make sure we follow the rules. I don’t think anybody, purposely, didn’t do something they should have done.”

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