MarsLink News
Fast, Reliable, and Uncensored News Coverage
Trump says no pullback of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
MLN -30 JAN 2026: President Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration will not scale back federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, directly contradicting comments earlier in the day by White House border czar Tom Homan suggesting a possible reduction in the federal presence.
“We keep our country safe. We’ll do whatever we can to keep our country safe,” Trump said as he arrived for the premiere of the film Melania at the Kennedy Center, responding to a reporter’s question about whether federal agents would be pulled out of the state.
When asked again if his administration was pulling back, Trump replied, “No, no. Not at all.”
The remarks contrasted sharply with statements from Homan, who earlier Thursday said officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection were developing a “draw down plan” for Minnesota.
“What does that look like based on the cooperation? What does that look like based on how many targets we have left to find?” Homan said during a press conference in Minneapolis.
Homan, who was dispatched to Minnesota to take over on-the-ground oversight after U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino was removed, said Trump wanted to “fix” federal operations following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers during enforcement actions.
While defending the mission, Homan acknowledged potential missteps and said adjustments were underway to Operation Metro Surge.
“I do not want to hear that everything that has been done here has been perfect. Nothing is ever perfect. Anything can be improved on,” Homan said. “What we’ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient, by the book.”
“The mission is going to improve because of changes we’re making internally,” he added. “No agency organization is perfect. President Trump and I, along with others in the administration, have recognized that certain improvements could and should be made.”
Tensions in Minnesota have intensified since the shootings, fueling protests and clashes between residents and federal officers. The administration is now facing growing scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans, and senior officials from multiple immigration agencies are scheduled to testify before House and Senate Homeland Security committees next month.
A recent poll conducted around the time of the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an incident the Department of Homeland Security described as an “armed struggle,” despite video evidence disputed by critics, found that more than half of Americans reported having “very little” confidence in ICE.
