WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has launched what officials describe as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, preparing to deploy as many as 2,000 federal agents and officers to the Minneapolis area for a sweeping crackdown tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents.
The deployment, which began over the weekend, represents one of the largest single-city mobilizations of Department of Homeland Security personnel in years. The operation dramatically expands the federal law enforcement footprint in Minnesota amid heightened political and community tensions.
According to an anonymous source, roughly three-quarters of the personnel are expected to come from ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, which carries out immigration arrests and deportations. The operation also includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, focusing on fraud and cross-border criminal networks.
During an interview, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons stated that the agency was executing its largest immigration operation ever, though he refrained from specifying the number of officers involved.
The initiative includes door-to-door investigations in the Twin Cities area related to fraud, human smuggling, and unlawful employment practices.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been active in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, joining ICE officers in at least one arrest. Notably, she was seen in a video, stating to a man during an arrest, “You will be held accountable for your crimes.” This man was identified as being wanted on charges in Ecuador and Connecticut.
When asked for a specific number of deployed personnel, Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin withheld information, citing officer safety. Nonetheless, she noted that over 1,000 arrests have already been made, targeting serious offenders.
The operation has been building in intensity since last year when federal authorities began increasing arrests in the Minneapolis area. Underlining the urgency, President Trump has attributed his administration’s crackdown in Minnesota to fraud cases associated with federal aid programs, particularly highlighting cases involving suspects linked to Somalia.
