Enforcement Tone Softens Slightly Amid Protests
Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s so called border czar, signaled a possible adjustment in federal immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota during a news conference on Thursday. His visit followed the fatal shootings of two US citizens by immigration enforcement officers earlier this month, incidents that have sparked protests and intensified scrutiny of federal operations in the state.
While Homan suggested he would pursue closer cooperation with local and state officials who have criticized federal agents’ conduct, he reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to aggressive immigration enforcement. He stressed that the White House would continue targeting undocumented migrants it considers public safety or national security threats, despite mounting opposition from community leaders and civil rights groups.
“I’m staying until the problem’s gone,” Homan said, adding that greater coordination with local authorities could reduce tensions and allow federal agencies to scale back their visible presence.
Targeted Operations and Local Cooperation
Homan described the administration’s approach as a continuation of long standing practices, emphasizing that federal agents conduct what he called targeted enforcement operations. According to him, officers know in advance whom they are seeking when they carry out arrests, rejecting claims that the administration has turned to indiscriminate sweeps.
Immigration advocates and local law enforcement officials dispute that characterization. Observers have warned that recent operations resemble dragnet tactics aimed at meeting high detention quotas. State and local officials last week said that even off duty officers had been stopped and asked for identification, with those questioned reportedly all being people of color.
During the briefing, Homan pointed to what he described as early progress in talks with Minnesota officials. He cited a meeting with State Attorney General Keith Ellison, saying Ellison clarified that county jails may notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement of release dates for individuals deemed criminal public safety risks. Such notifications would allow federal agents to assume custody directly.
Minnesota has no statewide law barring cooperation with ICE, and state prisons have historically coordinated with immigration authorities. County jails, however, operate largely at their own discretion, leaving room for uneven practices across the state.
Protests, Killings, and Accountability Questions
Homan did not directly address the killings that prompted his deployment to Minnesota but acknowledged that no agency is without fault. He said the administration recognizes that improvements can and should be made, framing his visit as part of that effort.
“ICE and border patrol officers are performing their duties in a challenging environment,” he said. “They’re trying to do it with professionalism. If they don’t, they’ll be dealt with.”
Local officials and community groups have called for independent state investigations into the deaths of the two individuals, identified by authorities as Good and Pretti. Those efforts have so far been blocked by the Trump administration. Earlier this week, however, federal officials confirmed that two border patrol officers involved in Pretti’s killing had been placed on administrative leave.
A Contested Shift
It remains unclear whether Homan’s remarks represent a substantive policy change or a rhetorical effort to ease tensions. He suggested that improved cooperation with local authorities could allow federal agencies to reduce the number of officers deployed in the state, saying plans for such a drawdown were already being discussed.
Homan was sent to Minnesota after replacing Greg Bovino, who had overseen a large scale enforcement operation that drew widespread protests. As debates over immigration enforcement intensify nationwide, Minnesota has become a focal point for broader questions about the balance between federal authority, local resistance, and accountability when enforcement actions turn deadly.
