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Trump Administration Conditions Minnesota Agent Drawdown on Local ICE Detainer Cooperation

Updated (2 articles)
  • Border czar Tom Homan speaks during a news conference about ongoing immigration enforcement operations on January 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
    Image: Newsweek
    Border czar Tom Homan speaks during a news conference about ongoing immigration enforcement operations on January 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Source Full size
  • Border czar Tom Homan speaks during a news conference about ongoing immigration enforcement operations on January 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
    Image: Newsweek
    Border czar Tom Homan speaks during a news conference about ongoing immigration enforcement operations on January 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Source Full size

Agent Drawdown Tied to Local ICE Detainer Participation The White House border czar Tom Homan announced a plan to cut roughly 3,000 ICE agents from Minnesota once sheriffs and county jails agree to honor ICE detainers and transfer custody of detained migrants [1][2]. He framed the reduction as a way to move enforcement from streets to jails while maintaining deportation objectives [1]. The proposal targets individuals classified as criminal or national‑security threats [1][2].

County Jails Will Alert ICE About Release Dates Under the agreement, Minnesota county jails will notify ICE of release dates for inmates deemed public‑safety risks, allowing ICE to take them into federal custody immediately [2][1]. The notification does not grant local officials new immigration‑enforcement powers; they simply “work with cops” to hand over identified migrants [2]. Homan said the mechanism will enable arrests at jails rather than deploying large teams into communities [2][1].

Enforcement Prioritizes Public‑Safety and National‑Security Risks ICE will focus on illegal immigrants labeled as public‑safety or national‑security threats, excluding broader immigrant populations from the drawdown plan [1][2]. Homan emphasized that the strategy aims to remove criminal aliens from the street while preserving resources for high‑risk cases [1][2]. He pledged to follow “by‑the‑book” procedures after previous chaotic ICE operations [2].

State Officials Question DHS Detainee Numbers The Department of Homeland Security estimates about 1,360 detainees subject to ICE detainers in Minnesota prisons, while the Minnesota Department of Corrections reports roughly 300 [1]. Corrections commissioner Paul Schnell accused DHS of providing inaccurate data and demanded the agency’s methodology [1]. The discrepancy has sparked calls for greater transparency from state officials [1].

Federal Officials Press Minnesota on Sanctuary Policies Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter urging Minnesota to end sanctuary practices, share confidential social‑services data, and turn over non‑public voter rolls to the Justice Department [1]. Democratic attorneys general criticized the demands as lacking legal basis and infringing on federalism [1]. The pressure coincides with the broader drawdown negotiations [1].

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Timeline

2025 – President Donald Trump dispatches Tom Homan to Minnesota after chaotic ICE operations that result in the deaths of two U.S. citizens, tasking him with assuming control of ICE and restoring order [2].

Jan 29, 2026 – Tom Homan announces a deal with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison allowing county jails to notify ICE of release dates for inmates deemed “criminal public safety risks,” enabling immediate ICE custody transfers [2].

Jan 29, 2026 – Homan says the jail‑notification agreement is central to drawing down roughly 3,000 ICE officers from Minnesota streets, fulfilling Democratic state leaders’ demand for fewer federal agents in communities [2].

Jan 29, 2026 – Emphasizing cooperation, Homan tells reporters he is not granting new immigration‑enforcement authority to local officials, describing the partnership as “cops working with cops” to remove criminal aliens from the street [2].

Jan 29, 2026 – Homan outlines ICE’s enforcement focus on immigrants classified as public‑safety or national‑security threats, explicitly excluding broader immigrant populations from the new priority list [2].

Jan 29, 2026 – Acknowledging past operational flaws, Homan pledges “by‑the‑book” changes and notes ongoing coordination with Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to resolve detention issues [2].

Jan 30, 2026 – Homan unveils a federal‑agent drawdown plan that will cut the roughly 3,000 immigration agents deployed in Minnesota once local sheriffs and county jails agree to honor ICE detainers and transfer custody of targeted migrants [1].

Jan 30, 2026 – He explains that ICE and Customs and Border Protection will concentrate on moving custody of migrants deemed public‑safety or national‑security risks from local jails to federal custody, arguing “more agents in the jail means less agents in the street” [1].

Jan 30, 2026 – Homan confirms he discussed the drawdown approach with Attorney General Keith Ellison, who clarifies that county jails may notify ICE but does not enter a binding agreement [1].

Jan 30, 2026 – Attorney General Pam Bondi sends a letter to Governor Tim Walz urging Minnesota to abandon sanctuary policies, share confidential social‑services data, and turn over non‑public voter rolls to the Justice Department, sparking criticism from Democratic attorneys general [1].

Jan 30, 2026 – Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell accuses DHS of providing inaccurate data, highlighting a gap between DHS’s estimate of 1,360 detainees in state and county facilities and the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ count of about 300, and launches a webpage to combat misinformation [1].

Jan 30, 2026 – Minnesota law requires sheriffs to notify ICE when a non‑citizen convicted of a felony is released, while misdemeanor cases remain at county discretion; ICE detainers permit federal agents to hold migrants up to 48 hours after release [1].

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