MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Amid the ongoing ICE-related unrest in Minnesota, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced Monday that more than 10,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Minnesota since the start of President Donald Trump’s second administration.
As reported by the New York Post, Noem said roughly 3,000 of those arrests have occurred within the past six weeks alone as part of Operation Metro Surge, which has been described by federal officials as the largest immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis history.
While she recognized the success that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies have seen, Noem also sharply criticized state and local leaders for what she described as protecting criminals over public safety.
“PEACE AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN MINNEAPOLIS!” Noem wrote in a post on X, praising federal agents for what she called a major victory for law enforcement. She accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of refusing to protect residents while shielding criminal offenders.
Noem further noted that those arrested included individuals accused of violent crimes, sexual offenses, and child exploitation, alleging that unchecked immigration policies had allowed dangerous offenders to operate freely in the city.
As Noem put it, while federal agents have worked to remove criminal illegal aliens from local communities, many of those arrested are not only wanted for their legal status but also for murder, rape, and other serious offenses.
Noem also addressed the ongoing massive fraud problem in Minnesota, alleging that billions of dollars in taxpayer funds have been siphoned off through abuse of public assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson has previously put the estimated losses from fraud targeting Minnesota’s human services programs at roughly $9 billion, much of it allegedly tied to organized schemes operating within the state. Federal investigators say those probes remain ongoing, with Homeland Security Investigations playing a central role.
The intensified enforcement has not been without pushback, both from protestors and from the Somali community at the center of the ongoing fraud controversy. Federal officials also allege that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are fanning the flames.
Frey stoked controversy over the weekend after comparing the federal immigration crackdown to an “invasion” during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. Likewise, Walz accused the Trump administration of overreach, framing the arrests as politically motivated rather than focused on public safety.
Despite the criticism, federal officials have indicated that immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota will continue, emphasizing that the arrests are aimed at removing dangerous offenders and protecting public safety. As investigations into fraud and immigration violations move forward, the clash between federal authorities and Minnesota’s political leadership shows little sign of easing.
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