The Trump administration has suggested it is planning to draw down federal forces in Minnesota if there is cooperation from officials, following the fatal shootings of two US citizens in the state.
At a news conference in Minneapolis on Thursday, White House border tsar Tom Homan vowed to continue the immigration enforcement operation, but added he wants common sense cooperation that allows us to draw down on the number of people we have here.
We are not surrendering our mission at all. We're just doing it smarter, Homan said.
The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have ignited local protests and public outcry across the country, leading to criticism from lawmakers.
It remains unclear how many federal forces might leave the city or when, raising more questions about how far the Trump administration will scale back its operation after the US president signaled a desire to de-escalate in Minneapolis.
Homan stated, President Trump wants this fixed, and I'm going to fix it. Hours later, in a social media post, Trump termed Pretti an agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist amid the ongoing backlash against the federal immigration enforcement approach.
The situation escalated further, as local leaders demanded an end to the federal presence, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey both urging for a total withdrawal of federal agents from the city.
The state has also requested a federal judge to halt Operation Metro Surge, which has deployed approximately 3,000 immigration, border patrol and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers to the region.
As tensions between local governance and federal actions rise, the Trump administration has criticized Minneapolis for its sanctuary city policy that limits local officials from enforcing immigration laws. Homan indicated that how changes would unfold in the federal operations would largely depend on the cooperation from local authorities.
Following the confrontational events surrounding Good and Pretti's deaths, local and federal relationships seem strained, with many community members calling for a re-evaluation of federal immigration enforcement strategies in the city.
