tom homan: Who is Tom Homan? Trump sends him to Minnesota to manage ICE following Alex Pretti killing
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed Homan will lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota. On Sunday, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that his administration was reviewing the recent shooting of Alex Pretti, as noted in a Reuters report.
Who is Tom Homan?
Tom Homan is a 30-year veteran of ICE. He won the Obama Presidential Rank Award in 2015. Homan is now entering the fray following the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents, which sparked protests. He began his career as a cop in upstate New York. As Times Now notes, Homan served as Acting ICE Director during Trump’s first term. While in office, he pioneered zero-tolerance policies for family separations. Homan retired in 2018 and worked on Fox News and Heritage’s Project 2025.
In 2025, Trump brought him back as Czar to oversee immigration enforcement. During this time, he oversaw the arrest of 460 criminal aliens in just a few days. He ignored a closed FBI bribery investigation during his enforcement actions. Homan dislikes states with sanctuary policies like Minnesota and has said he would stay away from governors like Abigail Spanberger in Virginia.
Despite criticism from Minnesota leaders, Homan now reports directly to Trump. He focuses on welfare scams, which he blames for some of the violence. DHS’s Operation Metro Surge is a domestic immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, Times Now reported. The operation was designed to identify and detain individuals subject to U.S. immigration deportation laws. ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are being deployed throughout Minnesota as part of this operation.
Trump weighs in on ICE actions after Pretti shooting
Trump also said his administration may eventually withdraw immigration enforcement officials from the Minneapolis area, but did not give a timeline. Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by US immigration agents on Saturday. The Department of Homeland Security called the attack an “assault.”
Eyewitness videos reviewed by Reuters showed Pretti holding a phone instead of a gun as he tried to help other protesters who were pushed to the ground. This is the second recent homicide by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. On January 7, U.S. citizen Renee Good was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent while in her parked car. Authorities claimed Renee Good tried to attack the agent, but videos show her trying to get away from the officer who shot her, according to the Reuters report.
FAQ
Q1. Who is Tom Homan and why is he in Minnesota?
Tom Homan is a former ICE administrator who was sent by Trump to lead immigration enforcement in Minnesota following protests over the death of Alex Pretti.
Q2. What is Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota?
Operation Metro Surge is a DHS program that sends ICE and CBP agents to detain individuals who may violate U.S. immigration laws.
