Thirteen months into President Trump’s second term, his administration reports over 700,000 deportations—plus 2.2 million self-deportations. A major flashpoint: Minnesota, with 133,000 illegal immigrants on ICE’s dockets. Counties were releasing accused criminals into the community without notifying ICE. Operation Metro Surge was a 74-day sweep with up to 3,000 agents targeting the “worst of the worst” but also sweeping up many nonviolent illegal immigrants. That sparked massive protests, some violent drew agitators and resulted in two deadly shootings. We were on the ground in Minneapolis during the final days of Metro Surge. Today: inside the largest, most controversial illegal immigration crackdown in U.S. history.
The following is a transcript of a report from “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”
Watch the video by clicking the link at the end of the page.
A bone-chilling 5 a.m. rollout in St. Paul, Minnesota
Richard Tine/ICE Agent: So we already have two units already positioned out near the first target.
We’re embedded with a team of federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement—ICE during the final days of Operation Metro Surge.
Tine: So a lot of what you’re gonna see out here right now with some of these targets is that they’re gonna be, we’ll make observations of them entering their vehicles, exiting their homes, things like that, and then we’ll initiate a vehicle stop.
Their target: an illegal immigrant previously arrested for DUI. Local law enforcement released him without notifying ICE, who would have deported him. Now, agents are trying to nab him in the neighborhood where he lives.
Sharyl: What do we have going on here?
Tine: When they initiated the traffic stop, vehicle stop, they determined that this person was not the original target, but they were in immigration proceedings. But they’re gonna now check them and see if there’s anything additional as far as criminal history and things like that.
As the ICE agents worked, protesters were on their heels, converging at ICE headquarters, tracking and following ICE vehicles, coordinating by phone, and blowing a whistle, potentially warning alleged criminal illegal immigrants.
Our ride-along documented the closing chapter of Operation Metro Surge.
Border Czar Tom Homan announced its end on February 12 in Minneapolis.
Tom Homan (February 12): I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude. As a result of this surge operation, we have greatly reduced the number of targets for enforcement action and many criminal aliens have been arrested and taken off the streets including murderers, sex offenders, national security threats, and other violent criminals.
Just a week prior, de-escalation signals emerged. The Trump administration pulled 700 agents from the force of several thousand, while Minnesota sheriffs committed to handing over illegal immigrants arrested for new crimes rather than releasing them.
Tine: The changes were brought about because we were getting a cooperation that we were seeking, which was to go out into the field and go after targets that we had already missed. And now we can focus on the targets that are going into the jail and getting them in a secure environment and then go out to get the ones that we missed when that wasn’t happening with the cooperation.
Sharyl: The people you picked up when we were out on the field today, you were still targeting criminal aliens, not ordinary illegal immigrants who are here not violating the law?
Tine: That’s correct. Our targets today range from, we have a person that is out there who has sexual offenses. We had people that were out there for DUIs. These are all part of our targets that we had for this morning.
Sharyl: But still, if you run into somebody who’s not committed additional crimes here, you will pick up that illegal immigrant as well?
Tine: That’s correct. If you’re in the country illegally and we encounter you, we will take you into custody.
The turning point was the deaths of two protesters amid rising tensions. January 7: Protester Renee Good blocks agents with her SUV, ignores repeated orders to exit, then accelerates—allegedly striking and injuring one. The agent opens fire, killing her in what he calls self-defense.
Secretary Kristi Noem/Dept. of Homeland Security (January 8): He is an experienced officer that has served a number of years and we recognize that he acted according to his training and we expect that all the policies and procedures of review will be exactly that he acted appropriately to bring effect his life and the life of his colleagues and fellow law enforcement officers that were there and the people that were surrounding.
No charges were filed against the agent. An internal use-of-force review is still pending.
Then on January 24, Customs and Border Protection agents are seen here struggling with Alex Pretti. Officials say he was armed, violently resisted arrest, and posed an imminent threat. Critics say the agents tackled and fatally shot a peaceful protester who posed no threat.
Senator Tina Smith (January 24). Eyewitness video shows once again reckless, violent, and dangerous federal agents taking the life of a Minnesotan. And rather than following standard law enforcement practice, which is focused on public safety and deescalation, they have killed another person.
The Justice Department and FBI are leading a civil rights investigation, the agents on administrative leave. Operation Metro Surge removed more than 4,000 illegal immigrants from Minnesota’s neighborhoods.
Examples— These 13 men said to be active gang members from Mexico, Laos, Guatemala, Cuba, Burma, Thailand and El Salvador roaming Minnesota streets after allegedly committing drug crimes, arson, sexual and weapons offenses, robbery, and kidnaping. 9 counts of burglary, 3 counts of assault, 7 illegal entries. Sexual assault charges. Seven drug convictions, 13 illegal reentries, and at least four pending charges including a felony weapon offense. Convicted of one murder, arrested for another. Convicted of two murders.
Nationally, since 2000, official data indicates illegal immigrants have committed: 5 million serious crimes including: 200,000 robberies, 100,000 rapes or sexual assaults and 30,000 murders— equivalent to the population of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
A 2007 triple murder in Newark NJ by illegal immigrant gang members from Peru and Nicaragua.
A 2008 triple murder of a father and two sons in California by an illegal immigrant gang member from El Salvador. He was shielded from deportation after prior arrests by San Francisco’s sanctuary city policies.
The 2015 quadruple murder spree in North Carolina involving a gang member mistakenly granted amnesty under President Obama.
The 2023 murder of five people in Cut and Shoot Texas, by an illegal immigrant from Mexico deported five times.
President Donald Trump: They are apprehending murderers and drug dealers.
In Trump’s second term, federal officials report about 540,000 deportations nationwide—coinciding with a remarkable drop in crime.
Violent crimes like robbery (-23%), aggravated assault (-9%), gun assaults (-22%), and carjackings (-43%), down double digits. Homicides plunged 21%—largest single-year drop on record, now lowest in at least 125 years.
Karoline Leavitt/White House Press Secretary (February 5): This dramatic decline is what happens when a president secures the border, fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals and aggressively deports the worst of the worst illegal aliens from our country.
But Trump’s opponents who support illegal immigration accuse the administration of heavy-handed tactics—terrorizing communities and innocent immigrants.
Jacob Frey/Mayor of Minneapolis (January 24): The chaos that we are seeing is caused directly by ICE, Border Control, and this federal administration.
In the end, America’s largest such operation closed with casualties on both sides—yet each declared success. The Trump administration removing dangerous criminals from Minnesota streets and gaining county pledges to turn over criminal illegal immigrants after new arrests. Protesters saying they forced an end to rogue agents tormenting communities.
Sharyl (on-camera): ICE recently put two agents on administrative leave. They’re under investigation for making allegedly false statements. That in the January 14 Minnesota shooting of a man in the leg who’d illegally entered the US from Venezuela.
Watch the video here.
