Tom Homan Says Cooperation With ICE Will Reduce Federal Presence in Minnesota

Border Czar Says Cooperation With ICE Will Lead to Fewer Agents on Minnesota Streets

MINNEAPOLIS — White House Border Czar Tom Homan said Tuesday that increased cooperation between Minnesota authorities and federal immigration officials will lead to fewer ICE and Border Patrol agents operating in the state, following days of meetings with state, local, and law enforcement leaders.

Homan is now overseeing interior enforcement operations for President Trump, said he was personally deployed to Minnesota after being called by the president on Monday and vowed to remain “until the problem’s gone.”

“I didn’t come here for headlines or photo ops,” Homan said. “I came here to fix problems.”

Why It Matters

• – Minnesota has become the epicenter of $9B in fraud committedby mostly Somali immigrants.
• – As sanctuary cities, thousands of criminals are hiding out in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
• – Homan says cooperation will determine how quickly federal resources are scaled back.

What’s Changed

After meetings with Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and law enforcement leaders, Homan said several key agreements were reached:

• County jails may notify ICE of release dates for illegal immigrants who pose public safety risks.
• ICE detainers are being honored by the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
• Criminal illegal immigrants will be transferred to ICE inside jails, rather than being released back into communities.

Homan stressed he is not asking local officials to become immigration officers.

“I’m asking cops to work with cops,” he said. “Help us take criminal aliens off the street.”

The Strategy: Fewer Agents on the Street

Homan argued that jail-based transfers dramatically reduce risk for everyone involved.

• One ICE agent can take custody of a suspect inside a jail.
• Street arrests often require 15 or more officers, security teams, and perimeter control.
• Fewer street operations mean less tension and fewer confrontations with protesters.

“More agents in the jail means fewer agents on the street,” Homan said. “That’s just common sense.”

Federal agencies are now drafting a drawdown plan, contingent on continued cooperation and reduced violence.

Targeted Enforcement, Not Random Sweeps

Homan pushed back on claims that the administration is abandoning immigration enforcement or engaging in indiscriminate arrests.

• – Enforcement operations will remain targeted, as they have been for decades.
• – Priority targets include criminal illegal immigrants, public safety threats, and national security risks.
• – Individuals in the country illegally are “never off the table,” but criminals come first.

“When you have a criminal and a non-criminal, the criminal should always be targeted first,” he said.

Warning on Sanctuary Policies

Homan reiterated his long-held stance that sanctuary policies protect criminals, not communities.

“Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals,” he said, adding that refusing cooperation forces ICE into riskier street arrests that endanger officers and civilians alike.

Condemning Violence and Rhetoric

Homan issued a blunt warning about escalating threats against federal agents, saying inflammatory rhetoric has already led to bloodshed.

“I begged for two months for the rhetoric to stop,” he said. “I said there would be bloodshed—and there has been.”

He called on elected officials to publicly condemn violence against law enforcement and warned that interference with ICE operations will result in arrests.

“You interfere, impede, or assault ICE officers—you will be arrested,” he said.

Border Security and National Impact

Homan tied the Minnesota operation to broader border policy, acknowledging the previous administration for allowing more than 10 million illegal crossings, including two million known ‘gotaways.’

Under President Trump, Homan said:

• Border crossings are down 96%
• Fentanyl trafficking has decreased
• Fewer women and children are being trafficked or killed during border crossings

“A secure border saves lives,” he said.

What Comes Next

Homan said federal resources will continue to be reduced as cooperation improves and violence subsides, but emphasized enforcement will not stop.

“We are not surrendering the mission,” he said. “We’re doing it smarter.”

He closed by thanking Minnesota officials for ongoing dialogue and pledged continued engagement with community and religious leaders.

“President Trump wants this fixed,” Homan said. “And I’m going to fix it—with your help.”