President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. (Photo: AP)
US President Donald Trump has softened his language on the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, saying talks with state and city leaders were productive, as some federal agents are expected to leave the state, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Trump spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, marking a change from earlier sharp exchanges between the White House and local officials.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social account, “I just had a very good telephone conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey, of Minneapolis. Lots of progress is being made! Tom Homan will be meeting with him tomorrow in order to continue the discussion”.
Frey said some agents involved in Operation Metro Surge were expected to leave as early as Tuesday and that he would continue pressing for further reductions.
A senior Border Patrol commander, Greg Bovino, is among those expected to depart, a person familiar with the matter told AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the operation publicly.
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Bovino has played a key role in the administration’s enforcement efforts in several US cities. His expected departure comes amid public anger over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. It was the second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers in Minnesota this month.
Bovino has faced criticism from local leaders and civil rights groups, particularly after he publicly defended the shooting and made claims about the incident that were disputed by video footage.
Trump said on social media that border czar Tom Homan would take charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota and report directly to him. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan would be the main federal contact on the ground in Minneapolis.
On Truth Social, Trump said his call with Governor Walz showed they were “on a similar wavelength”.
Walz said the conversation was “productive” and stressed the need for impartial investigations into the shootings. Trump said his administration was focused on finding criminals in state custody, while Walz said Minnesota already cooperates with lawful federal requests.
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The talks came as a federal judge considers a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul seeking to halt the immigration enforcement surge. The state and cities argue the operation is unlawful and aimed at punishing them for sanctuary policies.
US District Judge Katherine Menendez questioned the federal government’s motives during a court hearing and asked whether there were limits to executive power in enforcing immigration law. She said the case was unusual and required careful consideration.
The lawsuit was filed days after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer. The death of Alex Pretti later added urgency to the case, AP said.
The judge has asked the federal government to submit additional arguments later this week. The case could have wider implications for other states facing increased federal immigration enforcement.
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