Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz has expressed optimism that a federal immigration crackdown in the state will conclude within “days, not weeks and months,” following recent discussions with top Trump administration officials.
The Democratic governor revealed at a press conference that he spoke with border czar Tom Homan on Monday and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning. Homan assumed control of the Minnesota operation in late January, after a second fatal shooting involving federal officers and amidst growing political opposition and scrutiny over the operation’s management.
“We’re very much in a trust but verify mode,” Governor Walz stated, adding that he anticipated further updates from the administration “in the next day or so” regarding the future of what he described as an “occupation” and a “retribution campaign” against the state.
While Walz currently feels hopeful, noting that “every indication I have is that this thing is winding up,” he cautioned that circumstances could still evolve.
“It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they’re bringing her down and they’re bringing her down in days,” Walz said. “That would be my expectation.”
Officials with the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the governor’s remarks.
Walz said he has no reason not to believe Homan’s statement last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but the governor added that still left 2,300 on Minnesota’s streets. Homan at the time cited an “increase in unprecedented collaboration” resulting in the need for fewer federal officers in Minnesota, including help from jails that hold inmates who could be deported.
The governor also indicated that he expects the state will get “cooperation on joint investigations” into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, but gave no details. That’s been a point of friction between federal authorities and state investigators, who complain that they have been frozen out of those cases so far with no access to evidence.
Walz called the news conference primarily to denounce the economic impact of the enforcement surge. He spoke at The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where owner Patty Wall said the entire restaurant sector of the local economy has become “collateral damage” from the surge.
Matt Varilek, the governor’s employment and economic development commissioner, said Malcolm Yards would normally be bustling, but is now struggling because employees and customers are afraid to come due to the crackdown.
“So it is great news, of course, that the posture seems to have changed at the federal level toward their activities here in Minnesota,” Varilek said. “But, as the governor said, it’s a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, the fear that has been sown, I haven’t really noticed any reduction in that.”
