Steve Bannon, who was White House chief strategist during Donald Trump’s first term, criticized the Trump administration’s decision to end the federal ICE surge in Minnesota. In a statement, he said, “Tom Homan is a good man, and he's trying to do it, but that's just not going to wash."
The operation, officially called Operation Metro Surge, brought thousands of federal immigration enforcement officers to the Minneapolis area, resulting in roughly 4,000 arrests, according to DHS. The surge began in December, but in January, two U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both 37 were fatally shot in separate incidents involving federal agents, sparking outrage.
Homan, the White House border czar, defended the crackdown, stating it had “yielded the successful results” the administration sought. Speaking to Newsweek, Bannon argued, “Radical Democrats will never meet President Trump halfway they worked it so 15 million illegal aliens got into the country, and they have zero intention of deporting any of them including the criminal. No compromise.”
During an episode of his podcast, The War Room, Bannon further commented, “Trump is trying to show that he is prepared to accommodate and negotiate. Tom Homan is a good man, and he's trying to do it, but that's just not going to wash. Let's be blunt, this is a color revolution. These were not peaceful protesters; their whole focus was to surge in, and the Marxist jihadist element was trying to break the spirit of ICE and Customs and Border.”
Bannon, 72, was convicted in 2022 for defying a subpoena during the investigation of the January 6 Capitol attack. He served four months in federal prison in 2024. The Department of Justice has since filed to dismiss the conviction.
The federal crackdown sparked nationwide anti‑ICE protests following the deaths of Good and Pretti and concerns over enforcement tactics. In early February, the Trump administration began a partial pullback, withdrawing about 700 federal agents while thousands remained. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz indicated the operation could end within days.
Looking ahead to the 2026 midterms, Democrats see an opportunity to reclaim seats, following Trump’s return to the White House on a platform emphasizing immigration reform and mass deportations.
Homan, defending the operation, said on Thursday: “We’ve had great success with this operation, and we’re leaving Minnesota safer. I want to thank Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and Police Chief O’Hara. We’ve seen a big change here in the last couple weeks. It's all good change."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, responded on X, saying, "They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation. This operation has been catastrophic for our neighbors and businesses. Now it’s time for a great comeback. We’ll continue to stand with our immigrant residents, and I hope the whole country will support this effort."
Senator Amy Klobuchar added, “Minnesotans stood together, stared down ICE, and never blinked.”
Governor Walz called for federal accountability, stating, "The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. The people of this state bore incredible costs, and the federal government must be responsible. You can’t break things and just leave without addressing it."
As the Trump administration reduces the ICE presence in Minnesota, a small federal footprint will remain, but the bulk of the surge is being withdrawn.
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