The Minnesota Department of Corrections has rejected DHS claims that the state fails to honor ICE detainers, calling federal figures "categorically false" and saying it coordinates transfers with ICE. DHS stands by its data, alleging more than 1,360 active detainers statewide and nearly 470 criminal noncitizen releases. The dispute follows a fatal incident involving ICE agents in Minneapolis and an attorney general opinion limiting holds on ICE civil detainers. Federal prosecutors are reportedly probing whether Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey impeded law enforcement.
Minnesota DOC Rebukes DHS Claims, Says State Honors ICE Detainers; Federal Probe Reported
DHS Assistant Tricia McLaughlin (left) accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (right) of "actively encouraging an organized resistance to ICE."(Getty Images)
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) has publicly rejected assertions from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that the state is failing to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers. The dispute—part of a broader clash between federal officials and state and city leaders—centers on conflicting counts of noncitizens in custody and whether detained individuals with ICE detainers were properly held until federal transfer.
What the DOC Says
In a Thursday statement, the Minnesota DOC called DHS’s figures "categorically false" and "unsupported by facts and deeply irresponsible." The DOC said it "honors all federal and local detainers, including those issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," and that it has "always" coordinated with ICE when individuals in custody carried active detainers.
"DHS’s assertion that 1,360 non-U.S. citizens are in Minnesota’s state custody is inexplicable. Minnesota’s total state prison population is approximately 8,000 individuals, and only 207 (less than 3 percent) are non-U.S. citizens. Further, in 2025, 84 individuals with ICE detainers were released. In each case, ICE was notified in advance and DOC staff coordinated with ICE officials to facilitate the custody transfer when requested."
DHS Response
Despite the DOC rebuttal, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital the department stands by its numbers and accused Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of encouraging resistance to ICE and other federal law enforcement. DHS has said there are more than 1,360 active detainers in Minnesota across jurisdictions and alleged that nearly 470 criminal noncitizens were released into communities statewide.
Local Context And Legal Opinion
The dispute comes amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis after a fatal shooting this month involving federal ICE officers. In the aftermath, Mayor Jacob Frey publicly demanded ICE leave the city and issued an executive order barring federal agents from using city property for operations. Governor Tim Walz similarly pushed back against federal criticism.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz are at the center of a federal probe into impeding law enforcement.
In February, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a formal opinion concluding that state law prohibits state and local law enforcement from holding someone solely on the basis of an ICE civil detainer. That legal interpretation helps explain why state and local agencies sometimes decline to detain individuals on ICE requests alone.
Investigation Reported
Separately, two sources familiar with the matter told reporters that federal prosecutors are conducting an early-stage investigation into whether Governor Walz and Mayor Frey impeded law enforcement. The sources said it is unclear whether the probe will result in criminal charges.
Why It Matters
The disagreement highlights persistent tensions between federal immigration authorities and state and local governments over detainers, custody practices, and public-safety tradeoffs. DHS points to past cases where individuals released despite detainers were subsequently involved in violent crimes; critics of detainers cite legal limits and civil- liberty concerns about holding people on civil immigration requests.
Reporting note: Figures and claims are disputed by the parties involved. DHS and the Minnesota DOC provide sharply different counts and characterizations of events; both perspectives are included here for context.
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