White House border czar Tom Homan said on Feb. 12 that the administration has made significant progress in Minnesota and will therefore conclude the immigration enforcement surge in the state.

“I have proposed, and President [Donald] Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude,“ Homan said during a news briefing. ”A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into the next week.”

Homan said the administration has achieved “an unprecedented level of coordination” with law enforcement officials across the entire state.

He reported significant success in the surge operation in Minnesota, pointing to the arrests of more than 4,000 illegal immigrants, “including murderers, sex offenders, national security threats, gang members, and other violent criminals.”

The federal agents, he said, now have the ability to arrest illegal immigrants in the safety and security of jails across the state as they are released, as has been done in other states.

The Trump administration has repeatedly called for so-called sanctuary jurisdictions to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers.

Homan thanked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for their cooperation.

He also announced that ICE has located 3,364 “missing unaccompanied alien children” in Minnesota, whom he said were previously lost during the last administration.

An August 2024 report, published by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, faulted ICE for failing to consistently “monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children” once they are released from federal government custody.

Although the operation in Minnesota will end with a significant drawdown, “a small footprint of personnel will remain for a period of time” to support the transition and ensure that agitator activity continues to decline, Homan said.

The border czar noted that the increased cooperation with state and local law enforcement has also resulted in a decrease in unlawful agitator activity.

He said there will be “zero tolerance” for agitators, noting that federal authorities have already arrested more than 200 individuals for violating 18 U.S. Code, Section 111, which makes it a federal crime to assault a federal officer.

Homan denied claims that ICE has arrested people inside hospitals, schools, or churches. He said that only agitators inside churches were arrested and prosecuted.

Protesters and federal agents have clashed during recent enforcement operations in Minnesota. Demonstrations escalated after a federal agent in Minneapolis fatally shot a protester who allegedly drove her vehicle toward him on Jan. 7.

President Donald Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis following unrest after federal agents fatally shot another protester during an altercation.

Homan reiterated that during his meetings with state and city officials, all acknowledged that federal immigration laws were passed by Congress and that ICE is “a legitimate federal law enforcement agency” charged with enforcing those laws.

“We will not tolerate unlawful actions committed by agitators who are just causing havoc,” Homan said. “This is not the way to express your disagreement or try to reform federal laws. Go talk to your members of Congress.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.