In MINNEAPOLIS, Trump’s border chief, Tom Homan, addressed the media on Thursday, stating he was exploring ways to decrease the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis. However, he noted that this reduction would depend on “cooperation” from both local and state governments.

Homan revealed that he had engaged in discussions with Minneapolis political figures, reaching some consensus on the importance of public safety.

“In my conversations with Gov. [Tim] Walz, [Minnesota Attorney General Keith] Ellison, and [Minneapolis Mayor Jacob] Frey, alongside state and local law enforcement, I’m grateful for their recognition that public safety is crucial,” Homan remarked.

He emphasized the productive nature of their talks, despite the recent second deadly incident in the city involving federal agents. “We had significant discussions,” Homan told the press. “While we didn’t see eye to eye on everything, there is still much more to be accomplished.”

The President’s decision to send Homan followed the tragic shooting of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and nurse, by federal immigration officers on Saturday.

Homan took over for Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino, who left Minnesota on Tuesday with some of his agents, and will be the public face of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

Pretti’s killing is the second in recent weeks to rock the city of Minneapolis, coming less than a month after Renee Good, another U.S. citizen, was killed in her car by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. 

Homan acknowledged that immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota haven’t been perfect but was also adamant that the administration isn’t surrendering their mission.

“Bottom line is you can’t fix problems if you don’t have discussions,” Homan said. “I didn’t come to Minnesota for photo ops or headlines. You haven’t seen me. I came here to seek solutions, and that’s we’re going to do.”

Homan doubled down on the need for local jails to alert ICE to people in their custody whom ICE can remove from the country. Homan said that means that fewer agents have to actually be out on the streets looking for people.

But he said a “drawdown” of ICE in the city would only happen if he got “cooperation” from Minnesota leaders on the jail alerts and in toning down what he called threats of violence against federal agents in the state. 

Homan, 64, has been involved in federal immigration enforcement efforts since the 1980s. After rising through the ranks as an agent in the field, he worked as one of ICE’s top officials under President Barack Obama, starting in 2013, and earned a Presidential Rank Award in 2015 “for leaders who achieve sustained extraordinary results.”

When the Obama administration shifted priorities in its later years to focus on deporting people with more serious criminal convictions, Homan testified before Congress in May 2016 and faced intense questioning from Republican lawmakers about why deportation numbers had dropped. 

After Trump won the 2016 presidential election, though, he tapped Homan as acting ICE director and later installed Homan into the permanent job.

As ICE director during Trump’s first term, and now as border czar in the second term, Homan is one of the strongest supporters of the president’s immigration enforcement policies. He has advocated for the family separation policy and has helped to implement the Trump administration’s promise of mass deportation, which broadens targets to anyone in the country illegally, rather than just convicted criminals.

This story is developing and will be updated as information becomes available. 

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