Trump Deploys 2,000 Federal Agents to Minnesota in Sweeping Immigration and Fraud Crackdown
The Trump administration has launched one of its most aggressive domestic enforcement operations to date, deploying 2,000 federal agents to Minnesota for a month-long immigration and fraud crackdown targeting what officials say is a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise.
Sources within the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that immigration officers from across the country were ordered to deploy to Minnesota “ASAP” over the weekend. The move comes as investigators zero in on Somali-led nonprofit groups and shell companies that allegedly funneled stolen welfare funds — some of which were reportedly traced back to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
“We’re not just dealing with illegal immigration here,” one DHS official said. “We’re dealing with industrial-scale fraud, potential terror financing, and massive abuse of the welfare system.”
According to CBS News, more than 90 individuals have been charged since 2021, with over 60 already convicted. Prosecutors believe at least $9 billion in taxpayer money was stolen and laundered through fraudulent daycare centers, nonprofits, and food programs in Minnesota, many of them operating under minimal oversight for years.
The crackdown is being led in part by Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino, a key figure in previous Trump-era operations across major U.S. cities. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents will also play a central role in targeting the financial networks tied to the fraud schemes.
To support the scale of the effort, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has aircraft prepared to transport detainees out of Minnesota to other detention facilities across the country for processing and deportation. A senior DHS official described the operation as “unprecedented in scope for a domestic deployment.”
But not everyone is cooperating. Internal DHS messages revealed that at least one Hilton hotel chain in Minnesota canceled reservations after discovering they were for federal immigration officers. Emails shared by agents showed hotel staff admitting they would not allow “ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property,” prompting concerns about obstruction and discrimination against federal personnel.
The operation builds on the momentum of “Operation Metro Surge,” launched late last year, which led to the arrest of over 400 illegal immigrants in Minnesota. The current surge is broader and longer — with DHS agents conducting door-to-door operations in cities like Minneapolis and St. Cloud, particularly after independent journalist Nick Shirley released videos exposing suspected fraud at local daycares.
The Trump administration’s stance is clear: systemic fraud, unchecked illegal immigration, and possible terror financing won’t be tolerated — especially not on American soil.
“Mass deportations are underway,” one senior official said. “And those who enabled this fraud, whether from within the system or outside of it, will be held accountable.”
As the operation unfolds, the spotlight on Minnesota has grown. What began as a scandal over daycare fraud has now escalated into a national security mission with far-reaching implications for immigration policy, welfare oversight, and domestic terrorism prevention.