VP Vance, ICE, Border Patrol and DOC to brief on Metro Surge Thursday
Vice President JD Vance will visit Minneapolis Thursday as part of a multi‑state swing that includes Ohio, a trip tied to the federal immigration crackdown known as Operation Metro Surge while President Trump travels to Iowa. At 9 a.m. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations leader Marcos Charles will brief the media on Metro Surge, and at 10:30 a.m. the Minnesota Department of Corrections will hold a separate briefing on ICE detainers and DOC coordination; Sen. Ron Latz has warned federal agents must honor Minnesotans’ constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and due process.
📌 Key Facts
- Vice President Vance’s Minneapolis stop is part of a multi-state swing that also includes Ohio; President Trump will be in Iowa on a parallel trip.
- The Minnesota leg is tied specifically to the administration’s immigration crackdown and the political fight over Operation Metro Surge, not a generic policy tour.
- A 9 a.m. Minneapolis news conference will feature Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations leader Marcos Charles to 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’s coordination practices with federal immigration authorities.
- Sen. Ron Latz issued an on-the-record warning that federal agents must honor Minnesotans’ constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and uphold due process.
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota's Somali immigrant population, estimated at over 80,000, is the largest in the U.S., resulting from resettlement programs starting in the 1990s due to the Somali civil war, with initial placements by voluntary agencies like Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Catholic Charities, followed by chain migration and secondary resettlement driven by job opportunities and community networks.
How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S. — NPR
Somali Minnesotans generate at least $500 million in income annually and pay about $67 million in state and local taxes, contributing to economic growth despite high poverty rates.
Somali Minnesotans drive economic growth, pay $67M taxes annually — KSTP
Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, launched in early January 2026, is described as the largest federal immigration enforcement operation ever, involving 2,000 agents targeting criminal noncitizens, resulting in over 1,500 arrests including murderers, drug traffickers, and gang members.
2,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis area to carry out 'largest' immigration operation ever, ICE says — PBS NewsHour
Minnesota Department of Corrections reports that there are currently 207 people in the state prison system with ICE detainers, and the state claims full compliance with notification requirements to ICE for non-citizen inmates, disputing federal claims of non-cooperation.
Minnesota officials push back on Trump administration's immigration detainer claims — Bring Me The News
DHS reports that Minnesota sanctuary policies have led to the release of nearly 470 criminal noncitizens back into communities since President Trump took office in 2025, contributing to the rationale for the enforcement surge.
DHS Highlights Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Minnesota Yesterday — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Somali immigrants in Minnesota show overrepresentation in certain crimes, with claims that they commit more crime than natives, though specific per capita rates indicate higher involvement in fraud but not necessarily in violent crimes.
Yes, Somali Immigrants Commit More Crime Than Natives — City Journal
Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S., including in Minnesota, are involved in arrests for crimes such as drug trafficking and gang activities, with DHS highlighting cases of Venezuelan nationals affiliated with Tren de Aragua arrested during Operation Metro Surge.
DHS Highlights Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Minnesota — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- 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.