Trump's border-czar takeover does little to calm Minneapolis tensions: 'The agenda is still the same' [View all]

(Guardian) In his clearest attempt yet to “de‑escalate” tensions in Minneapolis, Tom Homan, Donald Trump’s “border czar”, announced on Wednesday that the administration will draw down 700 federal immigration officers as the statewide crackdown continues.

The Twin Cities remain on edge, waiting to see whether the fear will ease.

When Homan arrived in Minneapolis more than a week ago, his task was to bridge the widening gulf between local officials and federal law enforcement. Trump dispatched Homan, whom he called “tough but fair”, abruptly, to replace senior border patrol official Gregory Bovino, as the immigration operation in Minnesota spiraled into crisis.

The reshuffle came amid mounting outrage over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in late January – the second killing of a US citizen in as many weeks – and a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol officers that has galvanized resistance across the Twin Cities. Trump downplayed the move as “a little bit of a change”, even as he acknowledged Bovino was “a pretty out‑there kind of a guy”. ......................(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/tom-homan-minnesota-gregory-bovino