Tom Homan, the White House immigration czar, touched down in Minnesota on Tuesday with a mission from President Donald Trump: to bring stability to the turmoil gripping Minneapolis. Wasting no time, Homan engaged in discussions with Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey—both Democrats who have frequently clashed with the Trump administration over immigration policies. After the meeting, Walz expressed a surprising change of heart, telling CNN about the noticeable shift in tone from the administration, and commending Homan as a “professional.” In a departure from previous high-profile tactics that have sparked protests, Homan opted for a discreet approach, choosing not to engage with the media directly.

According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, Democrats’ current acceptance of Homan as a calming presence is notable, considering his previous strong defense of mass deportations. This transformation is even more significant when compared to the city’s reaction to Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino in the past. Just a few months ago, Homan made headlines by proclaiming he would spearhead the largest deportation force in U.S. history, boasting, “They ain’t seen [expletive] yet. Wait until 2025,” during a July 2024 immigration panel. Now, a senior administration official suggests Homan is finally seizing the opportunity to shape operations directly, a moment insiders privately describe as crucial. This Minnesota assignment marks Homan’s first operational role on the ground since his tenure as acting ICE director ended in 2018.

During Trump’s second term, Homan’s appointment as the White House immigration czar primarily involved serving as a spokesperson and advisor. However, immigration advocates within the administration are keenly observing whether the new approach by Trump and Homan will influence deportation numbers in Minnesota. Since Trump’s presidency began, there have been 10,000 arrests of criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota, according to a Department of Homeland Security official. Trump supporters view Minnesota as a critical proving ground for his immigration policies. The White House is now monitoring the situation closely to assess whether Homan can de-escalate tensions in Minneapolis while effectively executing his duties. “The question now is can he de-escalate the scene in Minneapolis and at the same time still get the job done,” a source familiar with the dynamics told the Daily Mail.

But after weeks of chaos in the streets under the direction Commander at Large and border patrol official Greg Bovino, Democrats embraced Homan as a moderating force. Federal law enforcement officials, a Washington insider told the Daily Mail, were feeling the same way. ‘There’s a sigh of relief amongst agency officials and agents that Homan is taking control after the last year,’ the source said, citing the ‘chaos’ that unfolded on the ground in recent weeks. Despite his tough rhetoric, Homan has largely been sidelined by Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. When Trump selected Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security, immigration officials were surprised that it was not Homan.

As conversations buzzed around Washington around the president’s unusual choice, it was revealed that Trump had done it as a favor to his long-time advisor Cory Lewandowski, now working for Noem. At the time, the idea was that Noem would handle the more public facing role of the Department of Homeland Security, such as disaster efforts and security while Immigration Czar Tom Homan would be leading the deportation and immigration, according to people who recalled conversations surrounding Noem’s confirmation. But that did not end up happening. Once Noem was confirmed she sidelined Homan and took command with repeated appearances at immigration enforcement operations wearing combat gear and body armor. Although her critics mocked Noem as ‘ICE Barbie’ on social media, Trump loved it, and frequently praised her public appearances on social media and to members of his staff.

Noem appointed several experts to the agency that have intentionally shaken up the status quo to deliver better results. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has empowered her efforts, as part of his quest for more deportations and tougher enforcement. That rubbed some more seasoned officials the wrong way, who view Noem and her people with suspicion and fear. But Noem boasted big results, marking Trump’s one-year anniversary by announcing that more than 675,000 illegal immigrants had been deported and an estimated 2.2 million had ‘self-deported’ as a result of his immigration policies. Trump has little patience for the infighting between Noem and Lewandowski and Homan, repeatedly demanding that they end the drama, sources say. The president views them on the same team with the same mission.

The president repeated his support for Noem on Tuesday but also gave the highest praise for Homan’s expertise. His defended his decision to send in Homan as part of his leadership style. ‘I do that all the time. I shake up teams,’ he said to reporters in Iowa. ‘We have a great team.’ But the chaotic scenes in Minneapolis threatened the president’s success as the riots against immigration officials escalated for weeks in Minneapolis. That would have bothered Homan, sources told the Daily Mail. Homan’s philosophy is to focus primarily on catching and deporting the ‘worst of the worst.’ If agents cross illegal immigrants on the way they are picked up as well. A seasoned immigration official who helped lead deportations for past presidents and even during President Barack Obama’s administration, Homan was well aware about the dangers of bad public optics.

Homan was famously awarded the Presidential Rank Award for distinguished service by Obama and was prominently featured in a Washington Post article for his efforts. ‘We don’t do schoolhouse raids or neighborhood raids. We don’t show up with bulletproof vests,’ Homan told the Post in the nearly ten-year-old interview. ‘I’m not ashamed of what I do.’ Homan has that article framed in his office, not only as a reminder of his long record, but also the disappointing change in tone toward immigration enforcement since he left government service. At the White House podium, press secretary Karoline Leavitt hoisted both the picture of former President Obama awarding Homan the medal but also the Washington Post headline from years ago. That confidence would continue, she said, under President Trump. ‘He’s obviously very qualified, he has the full trust and faith of the president,’ she said.