U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 400 illegal aliens during a large-scale enforcement effort in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS said the operation targeted individuals with serious criminal histories, including convictions for sexual offenses, violent assaults, robbery, and crimes involving children. Federal officials described the initiative as part of a broader effort to prioritize the arrest of criminal illegal aliens in jurisdictions with limited cooperation between local governments and federal immigration authorities.
“ICE law enforcement officers have arrested more than 400 illegal aliens, including pedophiles, rapists, and violent thugs, since Operation Metro Surge began,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “These individuals were living in Minnesota communities despite having final orders of removal or serious criminal records.”
DHS officials stated that many of those arrested had been ordered removed from the United States years earlier but had remained in the country. Several had convictions dating back decades, including offenses involving sexual assault, child sexual abuse, armed robbery, and aggravated bodily harm.
Among those taken into custody were individuals convicted of rape, criminal sexual conduct using force or coercion, first-degree sexual abuse of children, robbery, and violent assaults with weapons. The DHS stated that several of the arrested individuals had final orders of removal issued as far back as the early 2000s.
According to DHS, Operation Metro Surge was conducted by ICE officers working alongside federal partners and focused on identifying, locating, and arresting criminal illegal aliens who pose a threat to public safety. The agency said the operation reflects a renewed emphasis on interior enforcement and the execution of existing removal orders.
McLaughlin criticized Minnesota political leadership, including Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing state and local officials of failing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
“Tim Walz and Jacob Frey failed to protect the people of Minnesota,” McLaughlin said. “Instead of supporting law enforcement efforts to remove dangerous criminals, they continue to attack and demonize ICE officers.”
ICE said the operation is ongoing and emphasized that enforcement actions are based on criminal histories and immigration status, not random or indiscriminate arrests. The agency reiterated that its priority remains the removal of individuals convicted of serious crimes or who pose a public safety risk.
DHS has repeatedly warned that sanctuary-style policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities can delay or obstruct the removal of criminal illegal aliens, leaving individuals with violent or sexual offense convictions in local communities longer than necessary.
Federal officials said additional enforcement actions are expected as Operation Metro Surge continues across the region.
