Tim Walz says Minnesota ICE surge will be over in 'days not months' after call with Trump

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the state are expected to end within days, significantly sooner than the timeline previously outlined under the Trump administration.

Speaking to reporters, Walz said he had discussed the matter earlier in the week with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and former ICE Acting Director Tom Homan. He added that he is approaching the situation in a “trust but verify” manner. According to the governor, his expectation is that the federal presence in Minnesota will conclude in “days, not weeks or months.”

Homan, who oversaw the operation, stated that the reduction comes after coordination with state and local authorities and highlighted the results achieved since the operation began. “With the success in addressing public safety threats and other priorities, I proposed, and President Trump concurred, that this surge operation conclude,” Homan said. He added that a significant drawdown of personnel has already begun and will continue through the following week.

Operation Metro Surge, launched by ICE on December 1, targeted the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Federal officials reported that more than 4,000 arrests have been made as part of the operation. Homan emphasized that the operation had strengthened coordination between federal agents and local law enforcement, while also addressing public safety concerns.

Following a partial withdrawal last week of approximately 700 ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents, roughly 2,000 federal agents remain in the state, primarily in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Homan praised state officials and jail staff for what he called “unprecedented cooperation,” noting that continued coordination is expected as the drawdown progresses.

The reduction in federal presence comes amid ongoing protests against ICE operations nationwide and heightened local tensions following the January fatal shootings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. For many Minnesotans, the announcement offers cautious optimism that aggressive federal immigration enforcement in the state will soon ease.