U.S. Domestic Politics

DHS and Border Patrol publicized arrests in "Operation Metro Surge," releasing a curated list of detainees — including convicted sex offenders and other prior offenders — and framing the sweep as taking the "worst of the worst" off the streets, a narrative Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin tied to local non‑cooperation with ICE detainers and that has been echoed by the White House and GOP surrogates; Minnesota Democrats and local officials have denounced the raids as politically toxic and say they have terrified communities, with Hmong businesses reporting 60–70% revenue losses and residents saying children are being kept home. The enforcement wave has been marked by violent incidents and contested law‑enforcement accounts: DHS alleges a protester bit off an HSI officer’s finger and officials described assaults on officers, while CBP told Congress two officers fired in the fatal Alex Pretti encounter even as internal reports do not allege Pretti fired his weapon and note irregular handling of his handgun.