President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan warned the federal government will return, if needed, to Minneapolis after he announced the federal surge would wind down.
Homan said during an interview Thursday night with Fox News that Operation Metro Surge will end, similar to operations in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Charlotte. But he also stressed that hundreds of special agents will remain in place to investigate fraud in the Somali community and probe the Minnesota church protest.
“This is ending the surge, but we're not going away,” Homan said. Adding “if we need to come back, we’ll come back.”
Homan, who was tasked by Trump to oversee enforcement of operations in the state, said earlier Thursday that he suggested to the president that the federal surge in Minnesota wind down following months of success.
More than 4,000 illegal immigrants have been apprehended since the operation began in November, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
“We’re not walking away from anything,” Homan said. "We achieved what we came here for," adding, "if we need to come back, we'll come back."
Local and state leaders, along with many residents, had opposed the federal presence. Tensions escalated after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were shot and killed by federal agents during federal enforcement operations in January.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey appeared to express hesitation about the withdrawal.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz believes the federal government needs to be held accountable for the “economic ruin” it left behind. The governor said the operation negatively impacted the state’s economy, schools, and livelihood of residents, emphasizing that there’s a “long road to recovery” ahead.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday touted the “resounding success” of Operation Metro Surge.
"It has resulted in the detention and deportation of more than 4,000 illegal alien criminals,” Leavitt said Friday, adding that while the federal surge is coming to an end, “immigration enforcement in Minnesota absolutely will not."
Leavitt pointed out that Homan achieved unprecedented success in collaborating with state and local leaders. Nearly every single county in Minnesota has now agreed to notify ICE when they are releasing criminal illegal aliens from their jails, Leavitt said. Homan was also able to create collaboration with local police in arresting agitators who engage in unlawful behavior.