Gov. Tim Walz says federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota could end within days
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday he expects a federal immigration restriction in Minnesota to end “within days, not weeks and months,” based on recent conversations with senior Trump administration officials.
The Democratic governor said at a news conference Monday: frontier czar Tom Homan and with the White House private secretary Susie Wiles Tuesday morning. Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January. second fatal shot by federal officials and in the midst of growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was run.
“We are in trust-but-verify mode,” Walz said. He added that he expected to hear more from the administration “the next day” about the future of what he said was an “occupation” and “revenge campaign” against the state.
While Walz said he’s hopeful right now, “every indication I have is that this is over,” he added that things could change.
“I’m hoping that Mr. Homan will come out before Friday and announce that this is over and they’ll take him down in a few days,” Walz said. “That would be my expectation.”
Department of Homeland Security officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the governor’s remarks.
Walz says he has no reason not to believe Homan’s statement last week 700 federal officers will leave Minnesota immediately, but the governor added that 2,300 officers still remain on Minnesota’s streets. At the time, Homan spoke of an “unprecedented increase in cooperation” that resulted in fewer federal officers being needed in Minnesota, including assistance from prisons that house deportable inmates.
The governor also said he expects the state to “cooperate in joint investigations” into the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers, but did not provide details. this one friction point between federal officials and state investigators frozen number of cases without access to evidence so far.
Walz held the press conference primarily to decry the economic impact of the sanctions increase. Speaking at The Market in Malcolm Yards, Patty Wall, owner of a food hall, said the entire restaurant sector in the local economy had suffered “collateral damage” from the volatility.
Matt Varilek, the governor’s commissioner of employment and economic development, said Malcolm Yards would normally be busy but is struggling now because employees and customers are afraid to come because of the crackdown.
“Of course, it’s great news that the stance at the federal level on its operations in Minnesota appears to have changed,” Varilek said. “But as the governor said, it’s a trust-but-verify situation. And frankly, I haven’t eliminated the fear that was planted.”
