Border czar Tom Homan officially declared an end to Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota on Thursday morning. Speaking at a press conference in Minneapolis, Homan announced that the thousands of federal immigration agents deployed to the state will begin a full withdrawal. The drawdown, which follows weeks of intense enforcement, is expected to be completed within the next week as personnel return to their home stations.
The decision to conclude the surge comes after federal authorities reported more than 4,000 arrests of illegal aliens since the operation began in December. Homan praised the “unprecedented levels of coordination” between the Trump administration and state officials, including Governor Tim Walz. “As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” Homan told reporters at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building.
Operation Metro Surge was initially launched with roughly 3,000 federal agents to ramp up the removal of public safety threats. The operation faced significant local backlash following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens killed during interactions with federal agents. These incidents led to widespread protests and a federal lawsuit filed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, though the administration maintained the surge was necessary to restore law and order.
Homan clarified that while the massive surge is ending, a “small footprint” of personnel will remain in the state. These teams will assist the local ICE field office with the transition and monitor “agitator activity” to ensure public safety. “We’re going to continue to enforce immigration law,” Homan noted, signaling that the administration’s focus will shift back to its standard enforcement footprint while prioritizing high-risk targets.
Governor Tim Walz, who had previously described the operation as an “occupation,” expressed relief at the announcement. Walz had been in regular contact with Homan and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to negotiate an exit strategy. The Governor stated that he expects federal enforcement to return to its usual presence of approximately 150 agents now that the surge has been finalized.