Overview
- Federal officials say Operation Metro Surge is in a drawdown, yet hundreds of ICE and Border Patrol agents remain deployed across Minnesota.
- The Minneapolis Fed’s Beige Book reports widespread labor withdrawals among immigrant workers, acute hiring shortages, sharply lower foot traffic, increased loan‑modification requests, and a 43% enrollment drop at a workforce English program.
- State Auditor Julie Blaha cites preliminary statewide estimates of more than $106 million in lost wages, $203 million in overall economic damage, and $81 million in business losses, with effects extending well beyond the Twin Cities.
- Minneapolis police report more than 50,000 calls since December, canceled days off, extended shifts, officer injuries and PTSD reports, and costs exceeding $5 million between Jan. 7 and Feb. 1.
- After President Trump put Tom Homan in charge in late January, Homan announced a mid‑February wind‑down, yet local leaders describe continuing disruptions including business closures and stalled construction projects.