Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz demanded Thursday that the federal government “pay for what they broke” during Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement effort that triggered widespread protests in Minneapolis.
Walz made the remarks during a news conference after Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s point man on deportations and border security, announced earlier Thursday that the administration would begin drawing down its presence in the state.
“The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here,” said Walz, a Democrat. Walz also was former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate. “There are going to be accountability for the things that happened.
“But one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were borne by the people of this state.
“The federal government needs to be responsible. You don’t get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it.”
Walz did not detail what the federal government “broke,” but said he will ask Minnesota’s congressional delegation to investigate.
He also announced a proposal for $10 million in emergency relief for Minnesota businesses affected by the operation, including forgivable loans through a reinstated small business emergency fund.
“While the federal government may move on to whatever the next thing they want to do, the state of Minnesota and our administration is unwaveringly focused on the recovery of what they did,” he said. “And there will be many steps in this process, many answers that we still need to get and will pursue.
“But as we started earlier this week, one of the first things we can do and what we’re focusing on today is what we start doing on the economic recovery, the damage that has been done to our economy.
“Specifically to small business owners and even more specifically to immigrant small business owners, which for every other administration and for most of our history is the epitome of the American dream.”
Newsmax reached out to the White House for comment.
The Department of Homeland Security deployed about 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers to Minnesota for Operation Metro Surge in search of illegal aliens.
DHS said last week that more than 4,000 illegal aliens have been arrested since the operation began Dec. 1.
The operation drew resistance from Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, and other local officials, as well as a surge of protests against immigration enforcement.
The unrest led to clashes between protesters and federal law enforcement.
Two protesters were fatally shot by federal law enforcement during the operation: Renee Good on Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
Homan replaced CBP’s Greg Bovino as leader of the operation.
He said Thursday that establishing better cooperation with local Democrat officials, including Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Frey, along with police chiefs and sheriffs across the state, was crucial to the operation’s success.
He added that state authorities agreed county jails can notify ICE of inmate release dates, allowing federal agents to take custody of criminal illegal aliens at the time of release.