The Trump administration said it will pull 700 federal immigration officers from Minnesota but keep about 2,000 deployed, citing increased cooperation with local authorities and a shift toward taking custody of suspects from jails rather than the streets. Tom Homan, sent to oversee the Minneapolis operation, vowed to remain until the mission is complete. The deployment followed the fatal shootings of two Minneapolis residents—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—which prompted nationwide protests and demands for independent investigations. President Trump replaced CBP commander Gregory Bovino with Homan amid the backlash.
US Withdraws 700 Immigration Officers From Minnesota; About 2,000 Remain Amid Controversy
White House border czar Tom Homan speaks during a news conference in Minnesota on February 4, 2026 (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)(CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/AFP)
The Trump administration announced the immediate withdrawal of 700 federal immigration enforcement officers from Minnesota, while roughly 2,000 immigration personnel will remain deployed in the state, officials said. The drawdown follows weeks of high-profile enforcement actions in Minneapolis that triggered protests after two local residents were fatally shot during separate federal operations.
Tom Homan, the senior administration official sent to oversee the Minneapolis enforcement effort, said the reduction reflects increased cooperation with local authorities and a shift in tactics. "There are more officers taking custody of criminal aliens directly from the jails," Homan said, adding that this approach requires fewer officers on city streets. Homan also said he expects to remain in Minneapolis "until we get it all done."
'Bloodshed' And Public Outcry
Homan reiterated the administration's firm stance on immigration enforcement, saying, "President Trump fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country." He also warned that "extreme rhetoric" toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel had preceded violence: "I said back in March of this year, if the hateful rhetoric didn't stop, I was afraid there would be bloodshed, and there has been."
Federal agents fatally shot two 37-year-old Minneapolis residents during separate enforcement operations: Renee Good, who was shot as she attempted to drive away from an ICE action, and Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was reportedly beaten and shot. Both were U.S. citizens. The incidents drew national and international attention, protests, and criticism over conflicting accounts of what occurred and concerns about oversight of federal immigration operations.
Officials And Operational Changes
Before the expanded operations began, there were about 150 federal immigration officers in Minnesota; officials say the recent surge raised that number substantially before the partial withdrawal. In response to public outrage over the shootings, President Trump removed Customs and Border Protection commander Gregory Bovino and replaced him with Homan, a more policy-focused official who has pledged to scale back the operation under specific conditions.
The administration framed the drawdown as a tactical realignment rather than a retreat, emphasizing jail-based transfers of suspects and closer coordination with local law enforcement. Civil rights groups and local officials have called for independent investigations and greater accountability for the federal actions that led to the two deaths.
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