• Border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that Operation Metro Surge will conclude, with a significant drawdown of federal agents continuing through next week
• The operation resulted in more than 4,000 arrests but also two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens, mass protests and an estimated $10 to $20 million per week in economic losses for Minneapolis
• New polling shows 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of immigration following the Minnesota crackdown, with independent voters driving the sharpest erosion

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (TDR) — White House border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday that Operation Metro Surge is concluding, ending the largest federal immigration enforcement operation in American history after 10 weeks of mass detentions, historic protests and two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens that sent President Donald Trump's approval ratings on immigration into free fall.

"I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into next week."

Homan delivered the announcement at a press conference at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling — the same facility that has served as the operational headquarters and a focal point for sustained public protests since the operation began Dec. 1.

Operation Metro Surge Draws Down After Mounting Pressure

The announcement caps a rapid sequence of de-escalation moves that accelerated after the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by federal agents during an encounter on a Minneapolis street. Pretti's death came 17 days after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, as she drove her car during an immigration operation on Jan. 7.

Homan said the operation had "yielded the successful results" the administration came to Minnesota for, citing enhanced local cooperation, a decrease in what he called "unlawful agitator activity" and the removal of public safety threats.

"Twin Cities and Minnesota in general are and will continue to be much safer for the communities here because of what we have accomplished under President Trump's leadership."

"As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals. I'll say it again, it's less of a sanctuary state for criminals."

The Department of Homeland Security has claimed more than 4,000 arrests since the operation began, including 14 people with homicide convictions, 139 with assault convictions, 87 with sex offenses and 28 gang members. Homan also noted that more than 200 people had been arrested for impeding the work of federal officers.

But those numbers tell only part of the story. According to CBS News reporting, fewer than 14% of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by ICE nationally during Trump's first year back in office had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses. And in Minnesota specifically, many people with no criminal records — including children, U.S. citizens and legal residents — were also detained during the operation.

What Changed: From 3,000 Agents to Drawdown in Weeks

The trajectory of Operation Metro Surge shifted dramatically after Pretti's death. Video footage contradicted several initial administration claims about the shooting, triggering a leadership shakeup. Trump removed Gregory Bovino, the divisive Border Patrol commander who had overseen the operation, and dispatched Homan to Minneapolis to take direct command.

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At its peak, the operation had deployed approximately 3,000 federal agents — roughly 2,000 ICE officers and 1,000 Border Patrol agents — in a state that normally has about 150 federal immigration personnel. The footprint represented a twenty-fold increase over normal operations.

On Feb. 4, Homan announced the withdrawal of 700 agents, citing "unprecedented cooperation" from local officials. Thursday's announcement takes the operation to its conclusion.

"We have a lot of work to do across this country to remove public safety risks who shouldn't even be in this country. Law enforcement officers drawn down from this surge operation will either return to their duty station or be assigned elsewhere."

Trump himself signaled the shift in an NBC News interview, acknowledging that his administration might need a different approach.

"I learned that maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch. But you still have to be tough."

Polling Collapse Fueled Operation Metro Surge Retreat

The timing of the drawdown tracks closely with a dramatic erosion in public support for the administration's immigration enforcement approach. An NBC News Decision Desk Poll released this week found that 60% of Americans now disapprove of Trump's handling of border security and immigration — an issue that had been one of his strongest political assets through his 2024 campaign and into his second term.

The shift was most pronounced among independents.

"In these elections that are won on the margins, particularly in the swing states, independents are a really critical group. To see them shift so heavily on one of the president's key priorities is really telling."

That assessment came from Marc Trussler, a senior elections analyst for NBC News' Decision Desk. A separate NPR/Marist poll found six in 10 Americans believe ICE has gone too far in enforcing immigration laws.

Republican strategist Alex Conant framed the political calculus bluntly.

"The base loves it, but it's an issue for the independent voters who decide elections in this country. Independents want a strong border and they want to deport criminals, but they're really uneasy with having masked federal agents going around in neighborhoods, deporting anyone that they see."

Even typically loyal Republican voices have called for recalibration. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told conservative radio that the White House needed to "recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure that respect is going to be re-instilled." Ohio Sen. Jon Husted called on ICE to refocus on its core mission.

"It's time to reset and focus on what the mission is, which was to target violent criminals, people who are on the worst-of-the-worst list."

Economic Devastation and Institutional Costs

Minneapolis officials say the operation left deep economic scars. Erik Hansen, the city's director of community planning and economic development, estimated the city was losing $10 to $20 million every week, with the culturally diverse Lake Street corridor losing up to $7 million weekly.

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A survey by Meet Minneapolis found 80% of business respondents reported canceled, postponed or reduced bookings or sales. Ninety percent of partners said they had been impacted, and 72% reported staffing absenteeism.

The operation also strained the judicial system. Minnesota's chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found that ICE violated at least 96 court orders in January alone — a figure the judge called extraordinary.

"This list should give pause to anyone — no matter his or her political beliefs — who cares about the rule of law. ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence."

Schiltz ordered acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to appear in court to explain why detainees were being denied due process, calling it an "extraordinary step" warranted by "extraordinary" noncompliance.

What Minnesotans Experienced on the Ground

While the administration pointed to arrests of convicted criminals, the operation's impact extended far beyond its stated targets. Schools transitioned to remote learning. Families avoided medical appointments. A January general strike brought an estimated 50,000 people into subzero temperatures in downtown Minneapolis, and more than 700 businesses closed in solidarity.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty raised concerns about the due process implications of turning detainees over to ICE before their cases were resolved.

"Handing people to ICE before conviction strips our community of the accountability it deserves and harms victims by robbing them of a court process."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey maintained pressure throughout, calling the drawdown "a step in the right direction" but insisting the operation had been catastrophic for residents and businesses.

"My message to the White House has been consistent: Operation Metro Surge has been catastrophic for our businesses and residents. It needs to end immediately."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said this week he expected the operation to end within days, based on conversations with Homan and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

"I don't see how they continue on with this in any way that makes any sense, both politically or operationally for them."

Walz is scheduled to hold a press conference Thursday announcing a relief package for those impacted by the federal operations.

A Republican Who Supported ICE Changed Her Mind

The operation's trajectory also produced something rarely seen in contemporary politics: a public change of position from within the party that authorized it. Preya Samsundar, a Minnesota Republican, wrote in the Star Tribune that her view of the operation had evolved as she watched it unfold in her own community.

"What the polls and most Americans, including myself, will tell you is that the Trump administration lost its support when ICE agents began employing excessive tactics. That includes taking American citizens into custody based on accent and skin color, dragging individuals out in shorts and shoes in 7-degree weather."

She added a caveat that reflected the complexity many voters feel: protesting is an absolute right, but breaking into federal vehicles and building barricades is not peaceful either. The tension between supporting legitimate enforcement and opposing aggressive tactics defined the public debate throughout the operation.

Minnesota state Sen. Julia Coleman, a Republican from Waconia, also broke with party lines in January, calling on "all sides to de-escalate" and urging officials to "pause targeted operations, honor ICE detainers for criminals, negotiate, and prioritize peace."

What Comes Next: Enforcement Continues, Questions Remain

Homan emphasized Thursday that the end of the surge does not mean the end of immigration enforcement in Minnesota. A security team will remain to oversee the drawdown, and the administration's broader deportation goals remain unchanged.

"If you're in this country illegally, you're not off the table."

He also said there would continue to be "zero tolerance" for interference with federal officers and maintained that no immigration arrests had occurred in hospitals, schools or churches — though he pointedly added that "those locations are not off the table."

Several major questions remain unresolved. No independent investigations into the deaths of Good and Pretti have been completed. The Feeding Our Future fraud prosecution — one of the administration's stated justifications for the surge — suffered setbacks after six federal prosecutors resigned, including lead attorney Joe Thompson. And the Department of Justice investigations into Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey for allegedly impeding federal agents remain pending.

Theresa Cardinal Brown, who worked on immigration policy under both Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, suggested the pullback is likely just the beginning of a broader strategic reassessment.

"Operationally, you're not really thinking about politics as you're putting together an operation."

The Minnesota legislature, which begins its session this month, is already drafting bills in response to the operation — including proposals to let citizens sue federal officers for constitutional violations, require agents to show their faces and limit access to hospitals and schools. Republicans are expected to counter with bills mandating cooperation between state and federal immigration officials.

Operation Metro Surge achieved its stated enforcement goals while leaving behind two dead Americans, a damaged economy and a judicial record of extraordinary federal noncompliance with court orders — does the political cost of large-scale interior enforcement operations reshape how the administration pursues its immigration agenda going forward, or does it simply relocate the same tactics to states with less organized resistance?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from KARE 11's coverage of the Homan announcement, NBC News' reporting on the end of Operation Metro Surge and Trump's "softer touch" interview, the Associated Press, CBS Minnesota's reporting on the drawdown and economic impact data, NBC News Decision Desk Poll on immigration approval, NPR's reporting on political fallout, official statements from the Department of Homeland Security, PBS NewsHour's coverage of judicial actions, Fox News' reporting on anti-ICE protests and legal analysis, Sahan Journal's survey of Minnesota Republican positions, the Star Tribune's Republican op-ed on enforcement tactics, CNBC's reporting on the 700-agent withdrawal, and MinnPost's legislative coverage.

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