The Trump administration has dramatically escalated its immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota, deploying a significant surge of federal agents to the state in what officials describe as the largest operation of its kind.
Operation Metro Surge: A Major Federal Mobilisation
According to reports from CBS News, the administration is sending an additional 2,000 agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into Minnesota for a 30-day period. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on social media platform X that it is "surging to Minneapolis to root out fraud, arrest perpetrators and remove criminal illegal aliens".
Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, told Newsmax that the agency has in the city "the largest immigration operation ever taking place right now". While not confirming the specific number of 2,000, Lyons stated it was a joint effort between ICE and HSI. DHS, when contacted by the Guardian, would not confirm the figure but acknowledged it had "surged law enforcement" resources to the area.
Community Impact and Political Backlash
The operation, dubbed "Operation Metro Surge", has been underway since early December 2025. Its presence has profoundly affected immigrant communities, with reports of some individuals avoiding essential public spaces like grocery stores and medical facilities for fear of apprehension. Community groups have organised protests and attempted to impede deportations in response.
The federal focus on Minnesota coincides with the state dealing with several high-profile cases alleging fraud within social services. These cases have drawn the attention of former President Trump, leading to xenophobic rhetoric targeting Somali immigrants. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, the majority of whom are US citizens.
Lyons detailed that officers have been "going door to door" to businesses suspected of hiring undocumented workers and that some agents would be examining fraud cases. He praised Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who appears to be in the state, for running an "awesome, successful operation" in Minneapolis. A DHS-produced video shows Noem present during an arrest in Minneapolis of a man from Ecuador wanted for murder in his home country.
State Leadership Condemns Federal 'Assault'
The move has sparked fierce condemnation from Minnesota's Democratic leadership. In a press conference on Tuesday 7th January 2026, Governor Tim Walz labelled the federal surge "ridiculous" and part of a "war that's being waged against Minnesota".
"I don't think any government in history has had to fight a war against the federal government every single day," Walz stated. "We are under assault like no other time in our state's history because of a petty, vile administration that doesn't care about the well being of Minnesotans."
The tension was further illustrated by an incident on 6th January 2026, where ICE agents briefly detained an observer in Minneapolis before releasing them. The operation has also faced logistical pushback, with a Minnesota Hilton hotel reportedly cancelling reservations made for ICE agents.
