Federal immigration authorities have arrested hundreds of dangerous criminals across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in a sweeping enforcement operation that exposes the devastating consequences of former Governor Tim Walz's sanctuary policies.
Operation Metro Surge, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Trump's renewed border security directives, has pulled back the curtain on exactly who Democratic leaders have been protecting from deportation: violent gang members, convicted sex predators, and hardened repeat offenders who posed ongoing threats to Minnesota families.
The Criminals Walz Protected
The operation's results paint a damning picture of what happens when radical progressive politicians prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. Among those arrested were individuals with prior convictions for sexual assault, aggravated battery, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. Many had been previously encountered by law enforcement but were released back onto Minnesota streets due to sanctuary policies that prohibited cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Under Walz's leadership, Minnesota became a haven for criminal illegal aliens who knew they could evade federal enforcement as long as local authorities looked the other way. The former governor, who served as Kamala Harris's running mate in her failed 2024 presidential bid, repeatedly championed policies that tied the hands of law enforcement and left communities vulnerable.
"These are not the 'undocumented workers' that Democrats want you to believe they're protecting. These are dangerous criminals who have victimized American citizens and had no right to be in this country in the first place."
Trump Administration Restores Law and Order
The successful operation demonstrates the dramatic shift in immigration enforcement since President Trump returned to the White House in January. After four years of the Biden administration's open-border catastrophe, which saw record-breaking illegal crossings and a surge in migrant crime, the Trump administration has made interior enforcement a top priority.
ICE agents, no longer hamstrung by the restrictive policies of the previous administration, are now able to pursue criminal aliens in communities across the nation. Operation Metro Surge is part of a broader nationwide effort to identify and remove illegal aliens who pose threats to public safety.
Minnesota Families Pay the Price
For years, Minnesota residents warned about the consequences of sanctuary policies, only to be dismissed as xenophobic by Walz and his allies. Now, the evidence is impossible to ignore. Each arrest in Operation Metro Surge represents a potential victim who was put at risk because Democratic politicians valued political ideology over public safety.
The operation also highlights the stark contrast between Trump's America-first approach to immigration and the dangerous open-border agenda that Democrats continue to push. While Walz and Harris campaigned on expanding protections for illegal aliens, President Trump promised to put American families first—and he's delivering on that promise.
As ICE continues its enforcement operations across the country, the question remains: how many more criminals are still walking free in sanctuary cities, protected by politicians who care more about illegal aliens than the citizens they were elected to serve?
Minnesota families deserved better than Tim Walz. Thanks to President Trump, they're finally getting the protection their own governor refused to provide.