The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ended its controversial deployment in Minnesota after widespread protests. White House border appointee Tom Homan announced the decision on Thursday. During the peak of the operation, roughly 3,000 ICE agents were stationed in the state. Homan assumed command on January 26, following political pressure on the former Trump administration after two U.S. citizens were killed while protesting the agency’s activities. On February 4, he declared that 700 federal officers would be pulled out immediately.
Despite the fatal incidents, Homan described the operation as a success, saying that “Minnesota is no longer a haven for criminals”. He noted that a small number of ICE employees would remain in the area for a “certain period”. Usually about 150 ICE agents are assigned to Minnesota, and it was not immediately clear how many would stay after the pull‑back.
