U.S. President Donald Trump’s pointman on Thursday (February 12, 2026) introduced the top of an aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota that triggered giant protests and nationwide outrage following the killing of two U.S. residents.
Hundreds of federal brokers together with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers carried out weeks of sweeping raids and arrests in what the administration claims had been focused missions in opposition to criminals.
“I’ve proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude,” Mr. Trump official Tom Homan instructed a briefing exterior Minneapolis. “A big drawdown has already been underway this week and can proceed by the subsequent week.”
The operation sparked tense demonstrations within the Minneapolis space, and the deadly separate shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti final month led to a wave of criticism.
Mr. Homan raised the prospect that the officers would transfer to a different location however gave no particulars, and hypothesis is rife about which metropolis is likely to be focused subsequent.
“Within the subsequent week, we’re going to deploy the officers right here on element, again to their dwelling stations or different areas of the nation the place they’re wanted. However we’re going to proceed to implement immigration regulation,” he mentioned.
Campaigning in opposition to unlawful immigration helped Mr. Trump get elected in 2024, however day by day movies from Minnesota of violent masked brokers and a number of studies of individuals being focused on flimsy proof helped ship the president’s approval rankings plummeting.
The case of Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, who was detained on January 20, additionally stoked anger.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey mentioned the ICE operation in his metropolis “had been catastrophic for our neighbors and companies, and now it’s time for an excellent comeback.
“We’ll present the identical dedication to our immigrant residents,” he added.
‘Unprecedented federal invasion’
After killings of Good and Pretti, the Republican president withdrew combative Customs and Border Safety commander Gregory Bovino and changed him with Mr. Homan who sought to have interaction native Democratic leaders.
Minneapolis is a Democratic-run “sanctuary” metropolis the place native police don’t cooperate with federal immigration officers.
Resident and banking product supervisor Molly, 42, instructed AFP, “I don’t purchase it.”
“They pulled the identical public relations (stunt) in Los Angeles,” she mentioned referring to an immigration crackdown to the Californian metropolis final summer time.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz known as the ICE deployment in his state an “unprecedented federal invasion in all features of life.”
“That is one thing I don’t suppose any state has ever skilled,” he mentioned on Thursday (February 12), including that he was “cautiously optimistic” in regards to the withdrawal.
Democrats have known as for main reforms to ICE, together with ending cellular patrols, prohibiting brokers from concealing their faces and requiring warrants.
If political negotiations over ICE fail in Washington, the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) may face a funding shortfall beginning on Saturday (February 14).
On Thursday (February 12), Democrats within the Senate blocked a push to fund DHS following an acrimonious four-hour listening to on the immigration crackdown.
Customs and Border Safety and ICE operations may proceed utilizing funds permitted by Congress final 12 months, however different sub-agencies corresponding to federal catastrophe organisation FEMA might be affected.
Mr. Homan mentioned that some officers would keep behind in Minnesota however didn’t give a determine.
“The Twin Cities, Minnesota normally, are and can proceed to be, a lot safer for the communities right here due to what we have now completed beneath President Trump’s management,” Mr. Homan mentioned on the briefing on the outskirts of Minneapolis and neighbouring St. Paul.
He mentioned greater than 200 folks had been arrested through the operation for interfering with federal officers however gave no estimate for the variety of immigration-linked arrests and deportations.
“The lasting affect of those traumas will reverberate for years, however our communities have proven how related and resilient we’re,” Liz Digitale Anderson, a group organiser, instructed AFP.
Revealed – February 13, 2026 02:54 pm IST