This morning Tom Homan, the US Border Czar, held a press conference to highlight the outcomes of his discussions with state and local leaders relevant to the immigration enforcement effort known as Operation Metro Surge.
President Trump tasked Homan to take over leadership of the operation from US Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino who had not created a productive working relationship with his state and local counterparts.
Homan’s first order of business has been to meet with leaders to include Governor Walz, Attorney General Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Frey, Minneapolis Police Chief O’Hara, and Hennepin County Sheriff Witt. Homan said his discussions will continue and expand. That commitment to communicate and coordinate is a welcome change and will help efforts going forward.
Homan did not mention whether state and local law enforcement would be added to the Joint Operation Center (JOC) which has been set up to coordinate the efforts of Operation Metro Surge. This would greatly improve coordination between law enforcement and lead to more success in keeping organized groups from making contact with and obstructing agents in the field
Homan highlighted many items during the press conference, but three stood out as strategic changes that will undoubtedly yield benefits – including an ultimate draw down in the number of agents in Minnesota.
These strategic changes were 1) An emphasis on better cooperation between jails and ICE to turn over criminals with ICE detainers at time of release; 2) A refocus on targeted enforcement operations of known illegal aliens, with an emphasis on criminals; and 3) Investigating and prosecuting those organized groups targeting agents with violence.
First, Homan highlighted an acknowledgment from Attorney General Ellison that county jails “may notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the release dates of criminal public safety risks, so ICE can take custody of them upon their release from jail.”
This is an important acknowledgment and every county sheriff in the state needs to ensure their policies reflect it. There is no reason, beyond divisive politics, for our county jails to refuse to cooperate and communicate with ICE when the jails have a criminal suspect in custody who ICE has placed a detainer on.
I ran the Hennepin County Jail in the late 2010’s and we cooperated with ICE to ensure we notified ICE of potential release dates and times. When the inmate’s release was set, we also coordinated the safe transfer of custody of those inmates to ICE within the secure setting of the jail. If Hennepin County could do it then, there is no excuse for Hennepin County or jails around the state can’t do it now. They must begin to communicate with ICE and make safe transfers of custody in the secure setting of the jail. Releasing those inmates with ICE detainers to the streets and making ICE then go into the community to find them has been the single biggest mistake that local law enforcement leaders have made in the ICE debate.
ICE must also acknowledge that jails and prisons cannot hold people longer than their state and local holds allow. ICE detainers to do not allow for “over detention” and ICE must make improvements to ensure they respond to take custody of the arrestees at the time of their release – not hours or days later.
Second, according to Homan, going forward, agents conducting Operation Metro Surge will focus on “targeted, strategic, enforcement operations.” Homan reiterated that agents would not turn their backs on a person they encounter who is here illegally but stressed the operation will focus on targeted enforcement of known wanted illegal aliens with an emphasis on criminals, not on untargeted stops of unknown individuals.
Third, Homan described the challenging environment that agents have been forced to operate in given the near constant harassment and obstruction by organized groups. Homan rightfully stated that there will be a zero-tolerance stance against violence directed at agents. This message dovetailed with Homan’s statement that the state and local leaders have acknowledged ICE’s legitimacy as a law enforcement agency with a legitimate mission to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. It also dovetailed with recent announcements from the Justice Department and FBI that organizers, funders, and activists carrying out the violence were being actively investigated and prosecuted.
As each of these three strategic improvements are implemented, Homan will be able to draw down the number of agents in Minnesota – a move that will ease tensions, but not sacrifice the mission.
