LIVE UPDATES | ICE in Minnesota: Trump border czar says withdrawal of feds depends on cooperation

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Immigration operations continue in Minnesota on Thursday. In White House Border Czar Tom Homan's first briefing after taking over Operation Metro Surge, he said they're working on a drawdown plan for federal agents in Minnesota, but it depends on cooperation with state and local officials. 

This comes after Homan said he's had conversations with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, as well as county sheriffs and other local officials. He said cooperation with local authorities, especially jails and prisons, will give federal agents better access to people in the United States illegally. This would then lead to fewer federal law enforcement on Minnesota streets. 

Homan said the drawdown plan of federal agents depends on cooperation and targets they have left to find. As for the number of federal agents in Minnesota as of Thursday, Homan would not provide a number. Previously, court records show there were more than 3,000 federal agents in the state as part of Operation Metro Surge. 

"My main focus now is drawdown, based upon the great conversations I’ve had with your state and local leaders," Homan said. 

Homan did acknowledge immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota haven’t been perfect but was adamant the Trump administration isn’t surrendering.

Find live updates on ICE operations in Minnesota below. Watch FOX 9 live in the player above. Coverage of additional live events can be watched in the player below.

1:10 p.m. Minneapolis Mayor Frey speaks at Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey gave a passionate speech at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C. 

He spoke directly to other city leaders across the country about the surge of federal agents in Minneapolis, saying that "If we don't speak, it will be your city that is next."

Mayor Frey told other mayors to stand up for democracy and reiterated his call for an end to Operation Metro Surge. 

"We must understand that it is not the clash of iron that furthers the notions of democracy, but it is the intense battle of ideas," the mayor said. "Might does not make right. In cities, we all recognize that ideas make right. And so from Portland, Maine, to Portland Avenue in Minneapolis, to Portland, Oregon, mayors, we do not back down to bullies. We stand up for democracy. We understand that the common ideals that we hold are essential to the endurance of our great republic."

The mayor then took questions from reporters about what he believes the path forward holds for Minneapolis. 

"I'm optimistic. I believe that the tide is turning right now, and the people that deserve the credit are the tens of thousands of Minneapolis and Minnesota residents," Mayor Frey said. "They give me hope every single day. I mean, they are showing the whole country what it means to be a proud American, what it means to be a patriot. I could not be prouder to be from Minneapolis."

1 p.m. - MN Attorney General Ellison responds to Border Czar Homan

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison shared a statement in response to the remarks shared by Border Czar Homan. Part of that statement said the following:

"I met yesterday with White House Border Czar Tom Homan. The meeting was cordial and, as someone who believes in dialogue as a path to solving problems, I welcomed the opportunity to share my perspective with Mr. Homan.

"My purpose in meeting with him was to restate my commitment to protecting Minnesota and Minnesotans from Operation Metro Surge and to insist upon an independent, joint state-federal investigation into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration agents. I did not negotiate with Mr. Homan, come to any agreement, or offer any compromise on the goal of keeping Minnesotans safe. I raised with him directly the rage Minnesotans feel at the unconstitutional tactics federal immigration agents have been using in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and elsewhere in our state.

"Mr. Homan asked for cooperation from state officials in removing people with criminal histories of violence who are not authorized to be in the United States. While Mr. Homan and I agree no Minnesotan wants actual violent criminals on our streets, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, I firmly expressed to him that right now, Minnesotans’ foremost concern for their and their neighbors’ safety is the overwhelming presence and brutal tactics of federal immigration agents on those streets that are disrupting everyday life in our communities and doing harm to our neighbors.

"Throughout our meeting, I outlined relevant Minnesota law for Mr. Homan and made clear that Minnesota will continue to follow the law. I disagreed with the administration’s position that the largest single deployment of immigration agents in the history of the United States, and the violence it has caused, was made necessary because of the alleged lack of cooperation from local and state officials. I shared with him the existing state law that requires state and local authorities to share information with federal immigration authorities regarding non-citizens convicted of felonies. I also explained that county sheriffs, not the attorney general, run county jails and are also covered by the same state law. I did not make, and could not have made, any agreement with him about how sheriffs share with ICE information about people in their county jails.

"I also reiterated that in Minnesota, it is against the law to hold an incarcerated person solely on an ICE detainer if there is no other legal reason to hold them, a fact I clarified in a legal opinion nearly one year ago. This is a fact that county sheriffs and chiefs of police recognize and accept and Mr. Homan did not dispute. I further pointed out that the federal government’s debunked claims about a supposed lack of cooperation from local sheriffs and the state prison system in honoring ICE detainers have further eroded trust in the federal government among members of state and local law enforcement. I provided him with the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ Fact Sheet that sets the record straight with accurate information about State policies and practices.

"I also raised with Mr. Homan the fate of non-citizen immigrants who are authorized to be in Minnesota — including people with work permits or pending applications for asylum — who are afraid to leave their homes. I stressed the outrage we all feel at the arrests and disappearances of legal observers exercising their constitutional rights and of people with no criminal history at all, including 5-year-old Liam Ramos.

"I asked Mr. Homan to take these concerns back to Washington and he said he would. Even though he and I disagree politically, he listened and respected what I had to say on Minnesotans’ behalf. I also told him that our lawsuits to end Operation Metro Surge and preserve evidence in the death of Alex Pretti, and our fight to make sure the federal government shares the investigations of Alex’s and Renee’s deaths with state authorities, will continue without pause.

"It was distressing, then, to discover that shortly after our meeting, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted the names and images of 16 protesters that the Department of Justice arrested.

"Huge numbers of Minnesotans, especially in the Twin Cities, have lost all trust in the federal government’s ability to treat all states, cities, and individuals equally under the law. Operation Metro Surge is clearly about political retribution against a state that has never voted for Donald Trump and that has policies in opposition to his agenda. While Mr. Homan did not say anything to that effect in our meeting, several administration officials, including President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, have made statements that clearly reveal the surge’s true purpose.

"Federal courts in Minnesota also appear to have lost trust in the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional and illegal overreach: yesterday, one judge ordered a halt to all detention and deportation of legal refugees, while another wrote, "ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence."

"The Administration’s demands for policy changes and for our sensitive voter data make plain that this surge is an attempt to use brute force to coerce Minnesota into compliance with the President’s agenda after their other attempts to do so have failed in court. Nothing else explains why Minnesota — which ranks 28th among the states in immigrant population, with undocumented immigrants making up less than 2% of our population — is currently the theater of operations for close to 10% of the nation’s immigration agents.

"We will not allow the federal government to intimidate or coerce Minnesota into acting against our values or our duly enacted laws. We will not make any concessions or compromises to undermine our state sovereignty. While Minnesotans continue to with courage, compassion, and care for each other, I will continue to use every tool I have available to make the surge end."

12:30 p.m. - ICE in MN not mentioned during Trump cabinet meeting

President Trump held a cabinet meeting on Thursday, but it ended without comments from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem nor Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

This comes as Minnesota continues to be in the spotlight and the Trump Administration has been criticized for ICE enforcement actions in Minneapolis, which have resulted in the fatal shootings of two people by federal officials. Some members of Congress have called for Noem's resignation amid Operation Metro Surge. 

11:30 a.m. - Democrats block funding package to avert shutdown

Democrats in the Senate voted to block legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies on Thursday. The 45-55 test vote comes as Democrats threaten a shutdown amid ongoing ICE operations in Minnesota. 

10:30 a.m. - St. Paul leaders address ICE impact on small businesses, local economy

Local leaders with the St. Paul Department of Employment and Economic Development gathered at Los Ocampo Restaurant and Bar on University Avenue to highlight the importance of supporting local businesses.

St. Paul Mayor Her spoke about the difficulty faced by local employees and customers who say they are "scared" to go to their jobs and patronize local establishments. 

10 a.m. - Minnesota Gov. Walz responds to Border Czar Homan

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shared the following statement after Border Czar Homan's news conference:

"As the Governor has said, we need a drawdown in federal forces, impartial BCA investigations, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota."

9:15 a.m. - Minneapolis Mayor Frey responds to Border Czar Homan

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to the remarks made by Border Czar Horman on Thursday morning, saying, "Any drawdown of ICE agents is a step in the right direction—but my ask remains the same: Operation Metro Surge must end."

8:15 a.m. - New court filings for ICE TRO

The City of Minneapolis is trying to use President Trump's "playing with fire" Truth Social post among the exhibits supporting their motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, according to court filings on Wednesday in the State of Minnesota vs. Noem.

On the other side, federal officials filed supplemental arguments against the TRO/injunction. Among their arguments, the feds lay out a scenario where a state were to legalize cocaine trafficking, thus requiring a DEA surge. Also, the feds deny that AG Pam Bondi's demands for voter roll data, among other things, in the letter to Walz on Jan. 24 was "quid pro quo."

8:07 a.m. - Frey traveling to DC to demand ICE leave MN

According to an update from the City of Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey is traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors "where he will meet with mayors and federal lawmakers from across the country to advocate for an end to Operation Metro Surge and other unlawful ICE operations. During the visit, Mayor Frey will also participate in national discussions focused on how cities can work together to keep communities safe while upholding the rule of law."

7:51 a.m. - How many ICE agents in Minnesota? 

When asked how many federal agents are in Minnesota, Border Czar Tom Homan said there have been a lot of rotations but did not provide a specific number.

Court records show there were more than 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota, including ICE and Border Patrol officers, earlier this week. Homan said on Thursday they're working on a drawdown plan of federal agents but that depends on cooperation with state and local officials.

At a Thursday news conference, Homan doubled down on the need for local jails to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement to people in their custody who ICE can remove from the country. Homan said that means that fewer agents have to actually be out on the streets looking for people.

He acknowledged that immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota haven’t been perfect but was adamant that the administration isn’t surrendering.

7:48 a.m. - Homan: Who ICE is prioritizing detaining in MN

Homan said they are prioritizing criminal aliens, public safety threats and national security threats, stressing that if you come into the United States illegally "you're never off the table."

7:40 a.m. - Withdrawal of feds depends on cooperation, Homan said

White House Border Czar Tom Homan said the withdrawal of federal law enforcement in Minnesota depends on cooperation with state and local officials in Minnesota. 

"As we see cooperation happen, then the redeployment will happen," Homan said, noting targeted operations make ICE operations safer. 

7:19 a.m. - ICE operations update by Tom Homan: Progress made in Minneapolis

White House Border Czar Tom Homan arrived on Monday after President Trump asked him to deploy to Minnesota, he said during his first briefing in Minneapolis, noting, "We've made a lot of progress in the last few days." 

He says he came here to "Regain law and order" and to work to remove threats from the community. He met with Gov. Walz, local leaders, local sheriffs and police chiefs, and he has more people to meet with. 

"We didn't agree on everything," Homan said about meetings with state and local leaders. "You can't fix problems if you don't have discussions … I came here to seek solutions."

In the meetings, they did agree that community safety is paramount and to not release public safety risks back into the community. Homan stressed the Minnesota Department of Corrections has been honoring ICE detainers. Homan said Attorney General Keith Ellison "has clarified for me that county jails may notify ICE of the release dates of criminal public safety risks so I can take custody upon the release from the jail."

Homan said he's made "great progress" with the attorney general and local sheriffs, noting when they have agreements it takes fewer federal agents to do the job. And as a result, there would be fewer agents on the street and allow Homan to draw down the number of agents on the streets in Minnesota. 

Homan said they're working on a drawdown plan based on cooperation with local officials and the number of people left to find. But they will stay until the problems are gone. 

Homan said they will conduct "targeted" enforcement operations, saying when they hit the streets they know exactly who they're looking for. Homan said ICE and CBP officers are performing their duties in a "challenging" environment but are trying to do it with professionalism. And if they don't, they "will be dealt with." 

"President Trump wants this fixed, and I'm going to fix this," Homan said. 

The withdrawal of federal law enforcement in Minnesota depends on cooperation in Minnesota, Homan said.

5:45 a.m. - Border Czar Tom Homan to give first update

White House Border Czar Tom Homan is scheduled to hold a press conference at 7 a.m. on Thursday. 

He recently took over ICE operations in Minnesota from Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino. 

Homan has met with state and local officials since his arrival earlier this week, including Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her.

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