President Donald Trump has ordered an end to "Operation Metro Surge," a high-profile federal immigration enforcement deployment in Minnesota, after two fatal shootings involving immigration agents ignited protests and bipartisan scrutiny.
The withdrawal marks a sharp reversal for an initiative that, at its peak, sent nearly 3,000 federal officers into cities and towns across the state. The operation was billed by the White House as a concentrated crackdown on illegal immigration and fraud in the Upper Midwest. Five weeks after the first shooting, officials confirmed the surge would be dismantled entirely, with a full exit expected by Feb. 20.
The first fatal encounter occurred Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, where Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, was shot during a confrontation with federal immigration agents near her child's school. The administration said the agent who fired, Jonathan Ross, believed he was threatened as Good attempted to maneuver her vehicle. Video footage circulated widely online, prompting her family to reject the official account.
Less than three weeks later, on Jan. 24, ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot while filming agents detaining a woman in Minneapolis. Witnesses said Pretti was attempting to document the interaction and speak on behalf of the detainee. The back-to-back deaths intensified public outrage, drawing thousands to protests and elevating the issue to Capitol Hill.
White House border chief Tom Homan acknowledged the reversal on Feb. 12, stating, "I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude." He added, "A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue through the next week." Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had earlier indicated that a pullback was imminent.
The operation's rollback also included the removal of Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who had become a public face of the initiative. Homan signaled a pivot toward more "targeted enforcement" focused on undocumented immigrants with criminal records, rather than broad sweeps that critics said created volatile confrontations in public spaces.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers questioned the Department of Homeland Security's oversight mechanisms. Democrats called for new guardrails before approving further funding, including requirements for visible identification badges, limits on mask-wearing by agents, and judicial warrants before entering homes. Some Republicans resisted proposals to unmask agents, citing concerns about doxxing and threats.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that body cameras would be issued to all field agents nationwide, beginning in Minneapolis. The decision followed calls for greater transparency after both shootings.
The funding debate arrives ahead of a Feb. 13 deadline to approve DHS appropriations, raising the possibility that Minnesota's experience could reshape federal enforcement practices. For now, federal convoys are departing the state, leaving behind a political and legal reckoning over how far domestic immigration operations should extend-and at what cost.
