Call for targeted immigration enforcement
Long before assuming control of immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, border czar Tom Homan warned that the Trump administration risked losing public support if it failed to prioritize deporting immigrants with criminal records. While any undocumented immigrant can legally be arrested and removed, Homan has long argued that focusing on those who commit additional crimes is key to maintaining public trust.
In a June interview for the upcoming book Undue Process: The Inside Story of Trump’s Mass Deportation Program, Homan said most Americans support removing what he described as criminal illegal aliens, but warned that abandoning this focus could undermine confidence in the administration’s immigration agenda.
Escalation under sweeping enforcement tactics
Homan’s concerns emerged as Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino oversaw large scale enforcement operations in Los Angeles beginning in early June. Unlike traditional ICE raids aimed at specific individuals, Border Patrol agents conducted wide sweeps based on where immigrants lived or worked, according to court filings.
One operation, later dubbed Operation Trojan Horse, involved agents emerging from a rental truck in a Home Depot parking lot to detain day laborers. These tactics triggered weeks of protests and prompted President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard and Marines to the city.
Minneapolis shootings intensify scrutiny
Public outcry intensified after immigration operations expanded to cities such as Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans and Minneapolis. In Minneapolis, two U.S. citizens, ICU nurse Alex Pretti and Renee Good, were shot and killed during enforcement operations. Agents also detained a U.S. citizen and questioned residents at gas stations, asking them to prove their citizenship.
Bovino’s confrontational response to protests, including the use of tear gas in Chicago, drew legal challenges and criticism. He was subsequently removed from the role and replaced by Homan, who reduced the number of federal immigration personnel in Minneapolis by about 700.
Shift toward a softer approach
President Trump later acknowledged the controversy, saying in an interview that immigration enforcement might require “a little bit of a softer touch.” Homan echoed concerns about detaining migrants who entered the country legally to seek asylum, warning that such cases could further erode public confidence.
Data shows roughly one third of ICE arrests during the first nine months of the Trump administration involved immigrants with no criminal convictions. A New York Times and Siena College poll found that 61% of respondents believed ICE tactics had gone too far.
Internal tensions over enforcement strategy
Despite official statements insisting operations remain targeted, internal communications and accounts from advocates and law enforcement suggest pressure to boost arrest numbers through broader sweeps. Emails obtained by NBC News showed Bovino expressing frustration with restrictions that limited him to targeted arrests.
Homan has maintained that prioritizing criminals does not mean excluding others from arrest, emphasizing that anyone in the country illegally remains subject to enforcement. He warned that signaling leniency toward unlawful entry could encourage further illegal immigration.
