Speaking to reporters, Homan said President Trump had approved his request to conclude Operation Metro Surge. He added that he would remain in the state “a little longer to oversee the drawdown, to ensure its success”.
According to Homan, the operation led to the detention for deportation of thousands of undocumented immigrants, including individuals convicted of violent crimes. He described the initiative as a “great success”, arguing that authorities had been able to “greatly reduce the number of targets” for immigration enforcement in the state.
Homan said more than 4,000 undocumented immigrants — whom he referred to as “illegal aliens” — were arrested during the operation, including men convicted of rape and other sexual offences. He stressed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has long maintained a presence in Minnesota and would continue to do so after the surge ends.
The enforcement push, however, sparked nationwide protests following the deaths of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during encounters involving immigration officers. The fatal shooting of Pretti prompted Trump to send Homan to Minneapolis to oversee the operation directly, temporarily sidelining its original leader, Greg Bovino.
Last week, Homan announced the withdrawal of 700 immigration agents from Minnesota, leaving around 2,000 federal officers in the state. He said the goal was to return enforcement levels to those in place before the operation began in December, citing increased cooperation from local authorities.
Homan described the level of coordination between federal agents and local law enforcement as unprecedented. He said Minneapolis police had intensified action against protesters he characterised as public safety threats and that local jails had become more willing to notify ICE of release dates for individuals sought by the agency.
On Thursday, Homan said Minnesota had become “less of a sanctuary state” and confirmed he had met in recent weeks with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. He said he urged local leaders to “tone down the rhetoric” surrounding immigration enforcement.
Sanctuary cities and states typically adopt policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. While Homan and the Trump administration blamed rising tensions in Minneapolis on statements by state and local officials, Frey and other critics argued that ICE tactics — including stops and searches — were responsible for fuelling unrest.
Following the announcement, senior administration officials appeared on Capitol Hill to testify about the government’s broader immigration crackdown.
