The Trump administration quietly attempted to de-escalate tensions in Minneapolis by pulling roughly 700 federal agents, but Democratic leaders immediately declared the move insufficient. The move was reported by Politico, which described it as an effort to lower the temperature after weeks of escalating conflict between federal authorities and local officials.
The drawdown was announced by White House border czar Tom Homan during a news conference. It followed unrest after two American citizens, 37-year-old mother Renee Good and 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, were killed by federal agents during operations last month.
White House officials argued the reduction was not a retreat, saying it was enabled by new cooperation with local authorities. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said more Minnesota counties have agreed to coordinate with ICE to transfer custody of immigrants who have committed crimes directly from local jails, a claim the administration has leaned on heavily amid scrutiny of Trump’s immigration agenda, including fallout from recent poll numbers.
The drawdown did little to calm Democratic leaders
Leavitt said that cooperation was a condition set by President Donald Trump for any drawdown and that compliance would be closely monitored. She credited Homan with securing what she described as unprecedented coordination across the state.
Minnesota Democrats rejected that framing, arguing the city remains saturated with federal agents and that aggressive encounters with U.S. citizens are still occurring. Those concerns come as Democrats have also been critical of broader federal controversies surrounding the administration, including Elon Musk disputes tied to recently surfaced Epstein-related documents.
State Senator Scott Dibble said the reduction did little to change conditions on the ground. He argued that thousands of agents remain active in Minneapolis and said there is extensive video and photographic documentation showing what he described as abusive conduct.
More than 2,000 agents are still stationed in the city, a number that continues to alarm local leaders. Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey both called for a faster and much larger reduction, while state Representative Aisha Gomez questioned why leaving roughly 2,300 agents was meant to reassure residents.
Senator Tina Smith called the reduction good news but said she has heard that little has changed in practice. She said the administration needs to demonstrate results rather than rely on statements.
President Trump said in an interview that his administration may take a softer touch on immigration enforcement while remaining tough on what he described as serious criminals. He also claimed he had spoken directly with state and city leaders, expressing frustration that they continued to criticize the administration afterward.
Homan said the goal is a complete drawdown and an end to the surge as soon as possible, but tied further reductions to what he described as an end to threatening activity against ICE and its partners. The Department of Homeland Security has also said agents in Minneapolis will begin wearing body cameras during operations, a move Democrats say does little to address fears that enforcement remains broad and indiscriminate.
Published: Feb 4, 2026 08:45 pm