THE HILL: Minnesota Democrat: Claims immigration surge made state safer ‘wildly untrue’

Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) on Thursday slammed claims that the federal immigration operations in Minnesota, which the administration said will draw down over the next week, made the state safer as “wildly untrue.”

“I’m glad to hear that the Admin plans to withdraw ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] from Minnesota — however their claims that Operation Metro Surge made Minnesota safer are wildly untrue,” Craig wrote in a post on social platform X.

“Their rogue agents killed two Minnesotans, traumatized children and detained countless immigrants and U.S. citizens alike,” she added. “ICE may be leaving, but Minnesotans will never forget the terror they inflicted on our communities. Now, we begin the difficult work of healing.”

Other Minnesota officials praised the Department of Homeland Security’s departure. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) wrote on X that she was “relieved that this violent paramilitary force will be removed from our streets, but I won’t believe it until they’re actually gone.”

“Minnesotans stood together against this chaos and cruelty,” she said. “We never gave up on our neighbors. But I will never — EVER — forget nor forgive the fear, violence and chaos the federal government has laid on our doorstep.”

Flanagan referred to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens killed in separate shootings by federal immigration authorities in Minneapolis last month. She added that her children “have been targeted and traumatized. I will never forget the terrified looks on their faces.”

“Our schools, our small businesses, and our churches have been targeted, closed and harmed forever,” she wrote, adding that the federal government “must restore and repair what’s been broken.”

“Minnesotans deserve justice and accountability, and I won’t stop until we get it,” Flanagan concluded.

White House border czar said earlier Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol will withdraw from Minnesota this week and next week. He defended their work in the state and said the drawdown was due to a significant decrease in agitators and cooperation with local law enforcement.

“A small footprint of personnel will remain for a period of time to close out and transition full command control back to the field office, as well as to ensure agitator activity continues to decline and that state and local law enforcement continue to respond to ensure officer and community safety,” Homan said.

He noted that some officers will also be reassigned “to deliver on President Trump’s promise of border security and mass deportations.”

Trump dispatched Homan to Minneapolis after Pretti was killed in Minneapolis following an altercation with federal agents. Pretti’s death followed the shooting death Good at the hands of an ICE officer. Both deaths sparked outrage from Minnesota officials, Democratic lawmakers and Americans across the country.

Homan, in praising ICE’s work in Minnesota, defended the agency as “legitimate.”

“We’re not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process,” he said.