By The Circle
The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement in Minnesota with the arrival of thousands of federal ICE agents, marking the largest such operation the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it has ever undertaken in the Twin Cities.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined a large contingent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on January 5, during a pre-dawn enforcement action on the East Side of St. Paul, where agents arrested an Ecuadorian national. Noem claims he is suspected of homicide in his home country, according to a video Noem posted on her X account. The scene included an armored vehicle and a heavy federal presence around Payne Avenue, a busy commercial corridor in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood.
Noem’s visit came amid a reported surge of roughly 2,000 additional ICE and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents being deployed to Minnesota as part of what senior officials described as “Operation Metro Surge,” a 30-day federal immigration enforcement and fraud investigation initiative focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons described the current activity as the agency’s “largest immigration operation ever” in an interview with a television network, underscoring the scale of the enforcement effort in a state with long-standing sanctuary policies in its largest cities.
DHS announced that more than 150 people in Minnesota were arrested by immigration agents, though officials did not specify the nationalities or legal statuses of those taken into custody.
The intensified enforcement follows a broader federal focus on alleged welfare fraud and immigration violations in Minnesota, including scrutiny of day-care centers, nutrition programs and other social services. Critics say the crackdown disproportionately affects Somali American communities, which make up one of the largest Somali populations in the United States.
The expanded federal presence has generated alarm among immigrant advocates, Native Americans, and community groups. Advocates have voiced concerns that widespread enforcement, especially with little public notice, is fostering fear among immigrant families and could ensnare lawful residents. Native Americans are also being wrongfully detained simply due to skin color.
“They’re up there taking the fight to these sanctuary jurisdictions,” Lyons said, referring to Minneapolis and St. Paul by name, according to the video clips posted online.
Minnesota officials have also criticized the operation. Governor Tim Walz has called for reviews of recent arrests after reports emerged that at least two U.S. citizens were detained during ICE actions, urging Noem to ensure due process and proper warrant procedures.
Local protests have accompanied the federal sweep. Last month, demonstrators gathered during federal worksite raids in St. Paul, questioning how agents “sleep at night” amid allegations of aggressive tactics.
The DHS asserts its enforcement efforts are lawful and targeted at individuals who have violated federal immigration law or committed serious crimes. In a written statement, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin noted the agency had already made over 1,000 arrests in Minnesota since late December, though she declined to specify operational details.
But the surge of federal agents is unfolding in a politically charged environment. Minnesota’s sanctuary cities have long resisted cooperation with ICE, and critics argue that increased federal enforcement undermines local policy and community trust.
Several immigrant rights organizations and civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, have initiated legal challenges against ICE, alleging constitutional violations during protests and enforcement actions.
Residents on the East Side of St. Paul and throughout the Twin Cities report heightened anxiety, especially in immigrant neighborhoods with large East African and Latino communities. Many are carrying identification and travel documents routinely to avoid complications during any encounter with law enforcement.
Community advocates have called for clearer communication and due process protections as federal agents conduct operations that critics say resemble military-style raids. The issue has become a flashpoint in broader national debates over immigration policy and enforcement tactics.
