On Thursday, February 12, during a press conference, Tom Homan, the Trump administration's so-called border czar, announced the conclusion of Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota after three months of fierce military occupation, which led to over 4,000 arrests, the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and massive protests by the population.
The press conference was held at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, ICE headquarters in Minneapolis, in front of which numerous protests took place. However, the announcement of the withdrawal did not reassure the activists who gathered outside the building.
The same skepticism was expressed by activists from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and Communities Organizing Latine Power and Action, organizations committed to defending immigrant rights and opposing ICE raids.
In another press conference, prior to Homan's, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he was cautiously optimistic about ICE's withdrawal from Minnesota. The federal government can move on to whatever else it wants to do. The state of Minnesota and our administration are firmly focused on recovering from the damage they have caused, Walz added. They have left us with deep damage, generational trauma, and many unanswered questions.
Minnesota's economy has been devastated by the raids by federal agents, so much so that Walz is expected to propose a $10 million emergency fund for small businesses that claim to have suffered financial damage as a result of Operation Metro Surge.
Unfortunately, however, ICE operations are not stopping, given plans to open new offices in almost every state. It is to be hoped that the courageous nonviolent resistance of the people of Minneapolis will serve as an example to those who will face military occupation by federal agents.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lr9w29zwyo
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/13/headlines/trump_administration_says_its_ending_surge_of_immigration_agents_to_minnesota
https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/border-czar-homan-set-to-talk-amid-growing-optimism-that-ice-will-soon-leave-minnesota/
Anna Polo
