Border czar Tom Homan to brief on ICE Metro Surge in Minneapolis Thursday morning
Border czar Tom Homan will hold an 8 a.m. Thursday news conference in Minneapolis to update ICE operations tied to Operation Metro Surge; at 9 a.m. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations leader Marcos Charles will give an official update, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections will hold a separate 10:30 a.m. briefing on ICE detainers. The Homan briefing — framed against Gov. Tim Walz’s comment that the federal crackdown could end "days, not weeks" and following Homan’s prior note that roughly 700 federal agents would leave Minnesota — coincides with Vice President JD Vance’s Minneapolis stop on a multi‑state trip tied to the immigration crackdown and has drawn warnings from Sen. Ron Latz that federal agents must respect constitutional rights.
📊 Relevant Data
Somali immigrants in Minnesota have an incarceration rate more than 2.5 times that of U.S.-born males, based on analysis of incarceration odds.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
U.S. economic sanctions on Venezuela significantly influence migration patterns by disrupting oil revenues, which fund imports critical to productivity in the non-oil sector, leading to economic implosion and increased emigration.
Federal immigration officers were involved in 19 shootings during President Trump's second term as of January 2026.
Data: Federal immigration officers involved in 19 shootings in Trump's second term — WBALTV
Immigrants in Minnesota contributed $26 billion to the state's economy in 2025, including through taxes and business activities.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
From 2020 to 2024, over 81,000 new Americans moved to Minnesota, making immigration the primary driver of population change and contributing to a 0.6% growth rate in 2025.
Immigration became the leading component of population growth in Minnesota this decade — Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Immigrants often experience multiple sources of disadvantage that increase risk for crime, including poverty and cultural isolation.
Immigration, Criminal Involvement, and Violence in the U.S. — PMC
Undocumented immigrants in Minnesota contributed $222 million in state and local taxes in 2022.
Study: Undocumented immigrants paid $222 million in Minnesota taxes in 2022 — Minnesota Reformer
📌 Key Facts
- Border czar Tom Homan will hold an 8 a.m. news conference in Minneapolis to update ICE operations in Minnesota.
- At 9 a.m., Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations leader Marcos Charles will give an official update on Operation Metro Surge.
- The Minnesota Department of Corrections will hold a separate 10:30 a.m. news conference focused on ICE detainers and DOC coordination with federal immigration authorities.
- Homan’s briefing is framed against Gov. Tim Walz’s statement that the federal immigration crackdown could end within 'days, not weeks and months.'
- In a prior presser, Homan announced about 700 federal agents would be leaving Minnesota, citing increased local cooperation.
- Sen. Ron Latz issued an on‑the‑record warning that federal agents must honor Minnesotans’ constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and seizures and uphold due process.
- The Minneapolis stop is part of a multi‑state swing that includes Ohio and is tied to the broader immigration crackdown and political fight over Operation Metro Surge; President Trump will be in Iowa on a parallel trip.
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms Tom Homan will hold an 8 a.m. news conference in Minneapolis specifically to update ICE operations in Minnesota.
- Frames the Homan briefing directly against Gov. Walz’s statement that the federal immigration crackdown could end within 'days, not weeks and months.'
- Recalls that in Homan’s previous presser he announced about 700 federal agents would be leaving Minnesota, citing increased local cooperation.
- Confirms timing and participants for a 9 a.m. Minneapolis news conference with Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations leader Marcos Charles to give an official update on Operation Metro Surge.
- Adds that the Minnesota Department of Corrections will hold a separate 10:30 a.m. news conference focused on ICE detainers and DOC’s coordination practices with federal immigration authorities.
- Introduces a new on‑the‑record statement from Sen. Ron Latz explicitly warning that federal agents must honor Minnesotans’ constitutional rights against unreasonable search and seizure and due process violations.
- The new article confirms that Vance’s Minneapolis stop is part of a multi‑state swing that also includes Ohio, while President Trump will be in Iowa on a parallel trip.
- It reinforces that the Minnesota leg is pegged to the current immigration crackdown and political fight over Operation Metro Surge, not a generic policy tour.