Photo: Alamy
Border Czar Tom Homan took the reins this week in Minnesota amid ICE deportation efforts that have clashed with anti-immigration enforcement protesters, providing clarity and a vision for the future of Minneapolis.
“I got here on Monday,” Homan told the press during an early morning briefing. “…And I’m staying til’ the problem’s gone, but we’ve made a lot of progress – a lot of progress in the last three days.”
Violence and threats against ICE and Border Patrol agents have increased exponentially in Minnesota following the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti – civilians who became involved in confrontations with federal law enforcement. Both Good and Pretti were shot and killed, sparking outrage and chaos in the streets of Minneapolis among anti-ICE entities.
The dangerous situation prompted President Trump to shake up his leadership team on the immigration front in Minnesota. This week, he deployed Tom Homan to Minnesota, announcing that the border czar would take over ICE operations on the ground.
“President Trump promised the American people, including the residents of Minnesota, that he would work to ensure our communities are safe,” Homan said on Thursday.
Homan confirmed that he had met with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) and a slate of local and state officials. “We didn’t agree on everything,” Homan stated.
He did reveal that the one point of agreement was that “the community’s safety is paramount.”
Homan noted that, following a meeting with Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison, “he has clarified for me that county jails may notify us of the release dates of criminal public safety risks, so ICE can take custody of them.”
This was a highlighted request from the Trump administration, and signifies a big win for Homan, DHS, and ICE.
“Give us access to an illegal alien public safety threat in the safety and security of the jail; it’s common sense,” Homan noted. “…Because anything can happen in a street arrest.”
Amid the violence and unrest in Minneapolis, Homan brought much-needed clarity to the conversation, laying out the following key points:
- There will be no pullback on immigration enforcement, despite media speculation. Homan promised, “We are NOT surrendering the president’s mission on immigration enforcement. Let’s make that clear.”
- Increased immigration enforcement presence in Minneapolis is a direct response to Joe Biden’s open-border catastrophe. “The reason for the massive deployment is because of the threats, because of the violence…we brought extra resources in to provide that security,” Homan said.
- Minnesota Residents can expect a “drawdown” on those resources “when the violence decreases.” He emphasized the importance of Minnesota state and local officials cooperating with federal operations to expedite such a potential drawdown: “The drawdown will come soon, depending on when…I see this in play,”
- Coordinated ground operations against ICE will face justice. Homan said, “I don’t want to answer a lot about that, cuz’ I don’t want to show our hand. But they’ll be held accountable. Justice is coming.”
- Priority arrests will center on “criminal aliens, public safety threats, and national security threats…if you’re in the country illegally, you’re never off the table.”
- There will be “zero tolerance” for those interfering with officers’ operations or assaulting them. Homan said such individuals “will be arrested.”
- Lastly, Homan said that ICE would conduct “targeted strategic enforcement operations.” He added, “That’s traditionally been the case, and that’s where we’re going. That’s what we’re going to continue to do, and improve upon that with a prioritization on public safety threats.”
