Around 2,000 federal agents are being deployed to Minneapolis as part of the Trump administration’s expanded immigration crackdown, according to CNN, which cited two law enforcement officials. The deployment follows allegations tied to a welfare fraud scandal in the city.
The intensified enforcement effort comes in the wake of a 43-minute YouTube video posted the day after Christmas by a 23-year-old conservative content creator. According to CNN, the video alleged, without substantial evidence, that Somali-run childcare centers in Minnesota were fraudulently siphoning funds intended to support low-income families. The claims quickly gained traction after being amplified by Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk, racking up millions of views online.
READ: New rules require US visa applicants in India to collect passports in person (
The fallout was swift and far-reaching. Both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI increased their presence across Minnesota, while federal childcare funding for the entire state was frozen. The controversy also fueled a surge in hostile rhetoric directed at the state’s Somali community.
Against this backdrop, the Trump administration has escalated immigration enforcement, with federal agents already on the ground in Minneapolis. Both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and U.S. Border Patrol officers are now being deployed to Minnesota as part of the broader operation.
On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security posted an edited video on X showing Secretary Kristi Noem accompanying armed agents into a three-story building in St. Paul, where they arrested a suspect identified as an undocumented immigrant wanted for murder. In the footage, Noem, wearing a Homeland Security Investigations tactical vest, is surrounded by uniformed officers bearing Secret Service identification.
In addition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino, known for his controversial enforcement tactics, is also expected to be deployed to the region.
The renewed focus on enforcement has heightened fear and anxiety within Minnesota’s Somali community, which had already been targeted in December. At that time, following President Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks about Somalis and calls for them to leave the country, federal agents arrived in Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of a sweeping deportation campaign. That operation sparked widespread concern among Somali residents, the vast majority of whom are U.S. citizens.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 58% of Somalis in Minnesota were born in the United States. Among the foreign-born Somali population in the state, an overwhelming 87% are naturalized U.S. citizens.
READ: US falls off list of top 10 most powerful passports (
The Trump administration has sharply increased immigration enforcement during the president’s second term, drawing criticism over the aggressive nature of ICE raids. According to a report by The Guardian, 31 people have died in ICE custody in 2025, further intensifying scrutiny of federal immigration practices.
The mobilization of additional federal agents in Minneapolis also comes amid a political shift in the state. On Monday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a vocal opponent of Trump’s use of federal forces in U.S. cities, announced that he would not seek reelection.