White House Border Czar Tom Homan during a Thursday, February 12, 2026, press conference in Minneapolis. 

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - February 12, 2026

White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced today that Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement initiative in Minnesota, is ending. Speaking at a press conference in Minneapolis, Homan confirmed that he "proposed the conclusion of the operation" and that "President Trump has concurred" with the recommendation.

The announcement signals a shift in federal opinion following two months of deployment that reshaped the local and statewide landscape. Homan stated that a "substantial" drawdown of the approximately 3,000 federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is already underway and will continue through next week, eventually returning the federal footprint in the state to pre-surge levels.

Homan addressed the "local friction" directly, stating that the decrease in "agitator activity" and the need for "Quick Response Force" teams allowed for the drawdown. He expressed a desire to avoid further "bloodshed" while maintaining that standard, and stated that targeted enforcement operations would continue under the jurisdiction of the permanent regional office.

While the Trump administration has described the surge as a success, the two-month deployment was marked by intense local opposition, legal challenges from state and city leaders, and significant disputes regarding the accuracy of federal data.

During the press conference on Thursday, Homan reported that federal authorities made more than 4,000 arrests in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area during the operation. He stated that increased coordination with local law enforcement had achieved the administration's goals. Additionally, he stated that these actions addressed public safety risks, though local advocates and reports noted that the figure included individuals with no criminal records.

Earlier in January, the Minnesota Department of Corrections launched a dedicated data website to dispute federal immigration figures, specifically refuting claims made by the administration regarding the number of "criminal non-citizens" in the state’s custody. State data indicated that the number of such individuals was significantly lower than the figures cited by federal officials to justify the surge.

The announcement follows weeks of unrest sparked by the fatal shootings of two residents by federal agents: Renee Good in early January and Alex Pretti on January 24. These incidents prompted community responses across the state, including the economic and political sectors, resulting in nearly 60 Minnesota CEOs issuing a joint call for de-escalation, citing the surge's disruptive impact on the state's economy and social fabric. 

In Grand Marais, community members and visitors gathered for rallies and vigils in solidarity with those affected, while the Cook County Historical Society initiated the "Letters to Our Future" project to document the surge’s long-term social and local impact. Many local businesses participated in the statewide "Days of Truth" and economic strikes, during which residents protested amid sub-zero temperatures. Local businesses and organizations also made donations to a variety of organizations assisting immigrants, including the Grand Marais Film Society, which raised money for the Immigration Rapid Response Fund.