In a significant policy shift, White House Border Coordinator Tom Homan declared the immediate withdrawal of 700 federal immigration enforcement personnel from Minnesota during a Wednesday press conference at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. This decision concludes weeks of heightened federal operations that culminated in the fatal shooting of two protesters last month, events that triggered widespread public outcry.
Homan characterized the drawdown as a strategic reallocation rather than a reduction in enforcement capabilities, attributing the move to “unprecedented cooperation” now established with state and local law enforcement agencies. The official noted that enhanced collaboration with local jails would allow for more efficient processing of undocumented immigrants within detention facilities, theoretically reducing the need for street-level operations.
Following this withdrawal, approximately 2,000 federal agents will maintain their presence in Minnesota, with the majority continuing operations in the Twin Cities metropolitan region encompassing Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Homan emphasized that this revised approach represents “smart law enforcement, not less law enforcement,” suggesting that interior enforcement would continue through different methodologies.
The deployment of federal agents to Minnesota and Homan’s subsequent appointment to oversee operations came directly from President Donald Trump following January’s controversial shootings that escalated tensions between federal authorities and local communities. While Homan previously hinted at a potential reduction contingent on local cooperation, Wednesday’s announcement made this withdrawal effective immediately, though specific redeployment locations for the withdrawn agents remain unspecified.