"The largest operation in the history of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is underway in Minnesota", the agency stated in a social media post on 6/1.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated the agency has arrested over 1,000 individuals on serious felony charges, but declined to disclose the full scope and details of the sweep, citing "officer safety".
An anonymous US official and a knowledgeable source revealed that DHS deployed 2,000 agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the operation, primarily operating in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area.
Approximately three-quarters of the participating force came from ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations unit, alongside ICE agents specializing in fraud, human trafficking, and illegal labor investigations, and US Customs and Border Protection personnel.
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An ICE agent questions a driver in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 12/2025. *Photo: AFP*
Immigration rights organizations and some local officials reported a sudden surge in federal agent activity on 7/1, particularly around St. Paul. Numerous ICE vehicles stopped cars on roads for inspections and were seen outside businesses and apartment complexes.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was also present and accompanied ICE agents during at least one arrest. Released images showed Secretary Noem wearing a bulletproof vest, observing agents handcuff a man in St. Paul, stating that the individual "will be held accountable for his illegal actions".
DHS later stated the suspect is an Ecuadorian citizen, wanted in his home country and Connecticut on multiple charges, including murder and sexual assault.
The deportation sweep was conducted as Minnesota state authorities faced criticism from President Donald Trump's administration and Republican officials over a series of welfare fraud cases involving Somali immigrants.
Governor Tim Walz, a Democratic Party member, criticized the surge in federal agents as "a war against Minnesota", arguing that immigration enforcement agencies were not cooperating with state authorities and were engaging in a show of force. Many local residents reported an atmosphere of anxiety had enveloped the area, particularly within the Somali-American community.
Thanh Danh (According to AP, Hill)
