Trump’s border chief admits crackdown in Minnesota needs fixing
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The White House border czar Tom Homan acknowledged on Jan 29, 2026, that federal deportation actions in Minneapolis have been flawed, but said there could be a "drawdown" if local officials allow immigration agents access to local jails..
PHOTO: JAMIE KELTER DAVIS/NYTIMES
Chelsia Rose Marcius, Michael Levenson
NEW YORK – US President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan acknowledged on Jan 29 that the immigration crackdown in Minnesota needed to be “fixed” and raised the possibility that federal agents could be withdrawn under certain conditions, as the Trump administration sought to respond to public outrage over agents’ tactics
“President Trump wants this fixed, and I’m going to fix it, with your help,” Mr Homan said at a news conference outside Minneapolis, his first in Minnesota since Mr Trump appointed him to oversee the operation there, effectively replacing Border Patrol official Greg Bovino.
Mr Homan said the Trump administration could “draw down” the number of agents in Minnesota if state officials gave federal immigration agents access to inmates subject to deportation in the state’s prisons and jails.
He has suggested a similar deal in the past, and it was not clear whether state and local officials, who already cooperate with immigration agents to an extent, would consider any change in policy.
Mr Homan acknowledged that Minnesota state prison officials already transfer custody of prisoners at the request of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some Minnesota counties also cooperate with federal immigration officials who want to take custody of inmates being detained in local jails.
But at least one county, Hennepin, which includes Minneapolis and is the state’s most populous, refrains from assisting ICE agents as a matter of policy.
In response to Mr Homan’s comments, Governor Tim Walz’s office issued a statement reiterating the governor’s support for a drawdown in federal agents and for federal officials not to block state investigations into the deaths of Mr Alex Pretti and Ms Renee Good
Minnesota attorney-general Keith Ellison pushed back on Mr Homan’s suggestion that the state should increase its cooperation with ICE.
He said he had conveyed to Mr Homan that it is “against the law to hold an incarcerated person solely” at the request of ICE “if there is no other legal reason to hold them”.
Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, speaking to reporters at a meeting of the nation’s mayors in Washington, said he was responding with caution to Mr Homan’s suggestion that federal agents might leave Minneapolis under certain conditions.
“I will believe it when I see it,” Mr Frey said. NYTIMES
