ICE defends Minnesota enforcement amid 113 arrests and local pushback

WEB DESK: U.S. immigration authorities defended large-scale enforcement operations in Minnesota on Tuesday, saying the actions were lawful, targeted and aimed at protecting public safety, even as state and city leaders continued to push back against the tactics.

Speaking at a press conference in Minneapolis, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino rejected criticism that the operations were politically driven or indiscriminate. He said federal agents were focused on individuals who pose a serious threat to communities, describing the arrests as “not random” and “not political.”

ICE Executive Associate Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations Marcos Charles said agents arrested 113 undocumented immigrants in Minnesota over the weekend and during the Monday holiday. He added that ICE currently has more than 1,360 immigration detainers lodged against individuals held in Minnesota jails and prisons, and called on Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to cooperate by transferring those detainees directly to ICE custody.

Charles also said an ICE officer involved in a recent shooting during an enforcement operation was recovering at home, offering no further details.

The enforcement push comes amid an unprecedented federal presence in and around Minneapolis, where thousands of Border Patrol and ICE agents have been deployed in recent weeks as part of President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown. Agents in military-style gear have carried out arrests across the city, prompting protests and raising concerns among local officials and some police chiefs.

Walz and Frey have condemned the operations as reckless and inflammatory, arguing they endanger public safety and undermine trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities. Bovino dismissed those claims, accusing local leaders of spreading misinformation and insisting that federal agents are acting within the law.

The escalating standoff highlights deepening tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic-led cities over immigration enforcement, as federal authorities press ahead with aggressive deportation efforts despite growing local resistance.