Tom Homan Says Minneapolis Operation Will Continue With 'Improvements'

Tom Homan, the US border czar and recently appointed lead of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis, said in a press conference that the federal government is working on a plan to withdraw some federal immigration enforcement officers from Minnesota. 

The Details: Homan said he needs cooperation from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as well as "access to undocumented immigrants who are in state prisons and county jails." Homan told reporters, "We are not going to surrender our mission at all, we're just going to do it smarter."

Key Quotes: Homan said, "I'm not here because the federal government has carried its mission out perfectly. President Trump and I have recognized that certain improvements could be made—that is exactly what I have been doing here." He went on to say he is working on "making this operation safer, more efficient, by the book."

For Context: Over 3,000 federal immigration enforcement officers have been in Minneapolis conducting Operation Metro Surge since early December 2025. The operation was originally overseen by Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who was recently transferred back to his position in El Centro, California. 

How the Media Covered It: Time Magazine (Lean Left bias) wrote that Homan's comments "appeared to be a thinly-veiled critique" of Bovino, who Time alleged "openly encouraged the harsh tactics." New York Times (Lean Left) reported that Homan "acknowledged…that federal deportation actions in Minneapolis have been flawed." Fox News (Right) emphasized Homan's commitment to completing the operation, writing in its headline that "Border czar Tom Homan vows to stay in Minnesota 'until the problem's gone.'" Reuters (Center) noted that Homan plans to focus on "targeted" operations rather than broad street sweeps and wrote that his remarks "suggested a continued effort to de-escalate from the administration." 

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