President Donald Trump announced Monday the immediate deployment of White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota, responding to growing civil unrest following two separate fatal shootings involving federal immigration officers within the state this month.
The decision, communicated through Trump’s Truth Social platform, comes amid escalating political tensions between the administration and Democratic leadership. The president simultaneously revealed an ongoing investigation into what he characterized as ‘massive’ welfare fraud in Minnesota, which he suggested was ‘at least partially responsible for the violent organized protests’ occurring throughout the state.
The deployment follows Sunday’s sharp criticism from former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton regarding the federal government’s handling of immigration enforcement operations. The political condemnation emerged after two U.S. citizens lost their lives in separate incidents involving federal officers in Minneapolis.
The first tragedy occurred on January 7 when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good during an operation targeting undocumented immigrants. The incident ignited nationwide protests against perceived excessive force in immigration enforcement.
Tensions further escalated Saturday when a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot another 37-year-old American citizen, Alex Pretti, under similar circumstances.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has vehemently criticized federal operations, describing them as creating chaos within communities and formally requesting the immediate termination of ICE activities within state boundaries.
In a notable shift from previous rhetoric, Trump indicated Monday that he had a ‘very good call’ with Governor Walz, suggesting both leaders were ‘on a similar wavelength’ regarding resolution efforts, despite earlier claims that Democratic policies had directly caused ‘Democrat-ensued chaos.’