Trump’s border czar Tom Homan says small security force will stay in Minnesota as ICE agents pull back

White House border czar Tom Homan said a “small” security force will remain in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, even as more than 1,000 immigration agents withdraw from the region following a weeks-long enforcement surge.Speaking on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Homan said the reduced contingent would temporarily protect remaining personnel and respond “when our agents are out and they get surrounded by agitators and things got out of control.” He did not define what constituted “small,” but added that several hundred more officers would leave by Monday and Tuesday, returning operations to their “original footprint.”The drawdown marks the wind-down of “Operation Metro Surge,” which saw thousands of officers deployed to Minneapolis and St.

Paul under the direction of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security described it as the largest immigration enforcement operation in its history. Homan said authorities had already removed “well over 1,000 people,” with several hundred more deportations expected before the surge formally concludes.Homan also dismissed a recent Wall Street Journal report suggesting friction between him, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski over deportation strategy under President Donald Trump, calling internal policy differences routine professional debates.

Tensions and protests in Minneapolis

The operation drew growing criticism as tensions escalated following the fatal shootings of two US citizens, Renee Nicole Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, by federal immigration agents. The deaths sparked widespread protests across several US cities, with demonstrators demanding accountability and changes to enforcement practices.In Minneapolis and St. Paul, residents organised to warn immigrants of approaching agents and document ICE activity. Homan said investigations into the shootings and related fraud cases would continue. Unlike Noem, who publicly defended the officers, Homan refrained from commenting on their conduct, saying he would “let the investigations play out.”He reiterated that enforcement would continue nationwide and said future large-scale deployments would “depend on the situation,” even as Minnesota’s controversial surge winds down amid lingering public anger and scrutiny.