In response, Trump tapped Homan — a former acting director of ICE and his administration’s border czar — to oversee the federal response and recalibrate the strategy on the ground. Rather than continuing broad street sweeps and large-scale roving operations, the focus, according to Homan, will shift toward “targeted, strategic enforcement” aimed at individuals federal authorities consider threats to public safety or national security.
What Homan Has Announced
At a news conference in Minneapolis, Homan outlined a new approach that departs from previous tactics that critics have described as indiscriminate and overly aggressive:
Targeted enforcement: Rather than broad neighborhood sweeps, federal agents will prioritize individuals with serious criminal records or who pose public safety risks.
Drawdown contingent on cooperation: Homan has linked any reduction in the number of federal agents in Minnesota to improved cooperation with state and local officials, especially regarding access to jails and prisons. Under proposed arrangements, local authorities would notify ICE when individuals eligible for federal immigration action are about to be released, enabling more efficient arrests with fewer personnel on the streets.
Continued presence: Homan stressed that while federal numbers might decrease, enforcement operations will continue until leadership believes the mission is accomplished. “I’m staying until the problem’s gone,” he said.
Emphasis on safety and professionalism: The border czar acknowledged past operational flaws and pledged a focus on safer tactics and improved communication with local leaders.
Local and National Response
The shift has drawn mixed reactions. Some Republican figures, particularly Hispanic GOP leaders, have welcomed what they see as a more measured course correction designed to ease tensions and reclaim support among Latino voters critical of previous enforcement tactics.
Meanwhile, state and local officials in Minnesota have pressed for accountability and transparency, calling for independent investigations into the fatal shootings and urging a reduction in federal presence. Protest movements, both in the Twin Cities and nationwide, have organized demonstrations and walkouts under slogans opposing continued ICE operations.
Democratic lawmakers in Congress are also leveraging the controversy to push for more oversight and conditions on Homeland Security funding, tying budget negotiations to reforms and restrictions on federal immigration enforcement practices.
What Comes Next
As Homan implements the administration’s revised strategy, key questions remain about how much federal presence will realistically be reduced, how effectively local and state cooperation can be secured, and how the confrontation between enforcement priorities and community resistance will evolve.
What is clear is that the Trump administration is seeking to balance its immigration-crackdown agenda with a tactical pivot meant to calm public unrest — even as core policy aims remain unchanged. The situation continues to unfold, with both political and legal battles likely to shape federal immigration enforcement going forward.