Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that federal authorities have arrested more than 10,000 undocumented immigrants in the Minneapolis, Minnesota metropolitan area as part of the immigration crackdown driven by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Noem focused her attack not only on immigrants, but also on local Democratic leaders. She directly accused Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey of “protecting criminals” and of allowing an alleged massive fraud in childcare centers that, according to her unverified estimates, would reach $19 billion. According to the official, 3,000 of these arrests occurred in just the last six weeks as part of the so-called “Operation Metro Surge.” The announcement, made via the social network X, provoked immediate reactions, doubts about the veracity of the figures, and a new escalation of tension in a city already at the center of the national debate on immigration and the use of federal force. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later released a statement calling the operation a “major victory for public safety.” Unsupported figures and immediate criticism. Despite the forcefulness of the official message, the DHS did not present detailed documentation that The agency did not support the total number of arrests or the severity of the alleged crimes. In its statement, the agency only shared a limited list of names of people detained, without specifying dates, exact locations, or ongoing legal proceedings. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, publicly questioned the announcement and warned that the figures could be “highly inflated.” “It is very likely that these numbers are not real. Do not rely on them unless they are independently verified,” he wrote in X. Analysts point out that, historically, ICE publishes official reports with clear breakdowns of arrests.charges and jurisdictions, something that has not yet happened in this case. The lack of transparency has fueled concerns among civil organizations and migrant rights advocates.

Minneapolis, epicenter of the immigration conflict

Noem's announcement comes at a particularly sensitive time for Minneapolis. In recent weeks, the city has been the scene of protests following the death of Renee Good, a Minnesota woman who was shot by an ICE agent during an operation. The federal administration has defended the agent, while Noem went so far as to call the victim's actions "domestic terrorism," a statement that sparked national outrage.

Days later, another confrontation ended with a Venezuelan migrant being wounded by a federal officer, further escalating tensions. Thousands of ICE agents remain deployed in Minnesota as part of Trump's promise to carry out mass deportations. According to a recent analysis by The New York Times, the administration has so far deported some 230,000 people arrested within the country, in addition to hundreds of thousands detained at the border or who self-deported. However, experts warn that announcements like Noem's, without verifiable evidence, deepen polarization and leave entire communities in a climate of uncertainty and fear. While Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have not publicly responded to the accusations, the city and the country await concrete data to support one of the most forceful claims made so far by the federal government on immigration.in addition to the hundreds of thousands detained at the border or who self-deported. However, experts warn that announcements like Noem's, without verifiable evidence, deepen polarization and leave entire communities in a climate of uncertainty and fear. While Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have not publicly responded to the accusations, the city and the country await concrete data to support one of the most forceful claims made so far by the federal government on immigration.in addition to the hundreds of thousands detained at the border or who self-deported. However, experts warn that announcements like Noem's, without verifiable evidence, deepen polarization and leave entire communities in a climate of uncertainty and fear. While Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have not publicly responded to the accusations, the city and the country await concrete data to support one of the most forceful claims made so far by the federal government on immigration.