Trump administration says it is ending its immigration surge in Minneapolis

The Trump administration said Thursday that it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Speaking at a news conference in the city, Border “czar” Tom Homan said coordination with local law enforcement and success of immigration enforcement have contributed to the end of Operation Metro Surge.

“I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude,” he said.

The announcement comes weeks after federal authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking outrage around the world.

Homan said “a significant drawdown” will begin this week and will continue into next week. He said he will remain on the ground “for a little longer” to ensure a successful end to the operation.

On Nov. 29, the Trump administration began surging more than 3,000 immigration authorities to Minneapolis, in what officials dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Homan said at a press conference last week that roughly 150 federal immigration authorities were present in the city before the operation began. The city of roughly 250,000 people has a police force of roughly 600 officers.

Homan, who is a former Obama staffer, said he is not removing all federal officers for safety reasons and that immigration enforcement will continue.

“If you’re in this country legally, you’re not off the table,” he said.

Immigration officers and agents have arrested 4,000 people since the operation began, the Department of Homeland Security said last week. DHS did not provide a breakdown of how many of those had criminal charges. Federal authorities have arrested more than 200 people for impeding the work of law enforcement officers, Homan said on Thursday.

Amid the crackdown, immigration authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens — a mother of young children, Renee Good, 37, and an ICU nurse at a local Veterans Affairs hospital, Alex Pretti, 37 — in separate confrontations.

“I don’t want to see any more bloodshed,” Homan said. “I pray every night for the safety or law enforcement personnel and the safety of those in the community, whether you’re here legally or illegally I don’t want to say anybody harmed.”

Authorities had already announced a drawdown of the operation in the days following Pretti’s killing. Customs and Border Protection’s Greg Bovino was removed from his post as commander-at-large and returned to his former post in El Centro, California. Homan then arrived to take control of the operation.

Homan acknowledged those setbacks on Thursday.

“As I said in my first press conference a couple weeks ago, President Trump didn’t send me here because operation were being run and conducted perfectly,” he said. “I came here to identify issues and implement solutions to improve our mission execution.”

Homan announced last week that the administration would send 700 agents home. He said the drawdown is partly a result of coordination between Minnesota county jails and federal immigration officials, making it easier for immigration authorities to apprehend targets.

Federal authorities also arrested and criminally charged several protesters last month for holding a demonstration during a church service led by a pastor who is allegedly also an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also arrested for covering the event. Lemon’s attorney said his client would plead not guilty to charges against him.

Homan insisted that ICE agents had not gone into churches or schools to make arrests. In the same breath, he emphasized that “those locations are not off the table.”

He also said there would be “zero tolerance” for residents interfering with the work of immigration authorities.

“While the Trump administration supports everyone’s first amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly and to petition, it has to be done lawfully and peacefully, because we will not tolerate unlawful actions committed by agitators, who are just causing havoc,” he said. “This is not the way to express your disagreement or try to reform federal laws.”

Instead, he said those objecting to the administration’s policies should write to their lawmakers instead.