Maribel Hastings
Posted February 26, 2026
Border czar Tom Homan announced the end of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following two deaths of US citizens shot by ICE, public rejection of the program’s excesses, countless abuses of authority, and civil rights violations, and nothing to show for it except images of the violent behavior of ICE and CBP agents that went viral around the world.
And even though they are leaving Minneapolis, they continue to sprout like weeds in other cities across the country. In fact, Homan clarified that a “small” security force will remain in Minneapolis to assist the agents who are still there.
What’s more, Homan said that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “ought to be saying thank you.” “The state’s safer because of that, and President Trump gets another win.”
Democrats must keep up pressure to end the abuse of power by DHS, ICE, and CBP.
Welcome to Planet Trump, where reality is not what it seems, lies reign supreme, and admitting mistakes is forbidden.
Despite lessons learned in Minnesota, the Trump administration has not changed its strategy or shown willingness to yield to Democratic pressure for reforms to how immigration agents operate. This standoff led to a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
There are no signs that the impasse will be resolved soon, even though the agencies most affected are vital: the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and FEMA, among others.
ICE and CBP, for now, continue as if nothing had happened because they have plenty of money granted by the law known as One Big Beautiful Bill to continue conducting raids, arrests, and filling detention centers despite the gross mismanagement of those currently in operation, which has resulted in a record number of deaths.
Excesses occur at all levels, starting at the top with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s false statements. She claimed that nurse Alex Pretti attacked agents and wielded a weapon, but video evidence showed Pretti was unarmed and subdued when shot in the back. This contradiction highlights the disagreement between official reports and publicly shared evidence.
In the case of Renee Nicole Good, she was labeled a “domestic terrorist” by Noem and other officials, including President Trump, although videos only showed violence from the agents. These accusations stood despite clear evidence to the contrary, and no officials have faced repercussions.
That is why it is noteworthy that two immigration agents are on administrative leave for apparently lying under oath about the circumstances of another shooting in Minneapolis, where a Venezuelan immigrant was wounded.
The agents, as in recent cases, claimed they were attacked, this time with a shovel and a broomstick. However, both videos and eyewitness accounts dispute this, suggesting agents’ sworn testimony did not match available evidence. ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons acknowledged a joint investigation with the Department of Justice because the videos seem to show inconsistencies in the agents’ statements.
An article by NBC News found that since September 2025, federal immigration agents have shot at 13 people, mostly firing directly at vehicles.
This administration does not admit mistakes. That is why Lyons’ statement is significant. But Trump and his advisor, Stephen Miller, dominate the narrative of continuing with their extremist strategy even if they fall off a cliff, as polls seem to confirm.
Americans do not favor the extreme immigration strategy. But they even oppose more funding for ICE and CBP. ICE has $75 billion allocated under the One Big Beautiful Bill. That is seven times its regular budget. According to Fwd.us, “60% of voters support redirecting that $75 billion away from ICE to help restore cuts to Medicaid” included in the same 2025 law.
A recent poll by Navigator found that a majority of Americans support the 16 reforms proposed to protect the public’s rights in ICE and CBP interventions.
Democrats must keep up pressure to end the abuse of power by DHS, ICE, and CBP. This is not just about immigration; the administration’s overreach threatens other vital areas, such as voting rights, especially during an election year. Planet Trump aims to dominate at any cost.
Maribel Hastings is a Senior Advisor to América’s Voice.
- On ‘President’s Planet,’ Abuse of Power is Considered a Victory - March 2, 2026
- Bad Bunny and His Elegant Rebuke of the President’s Prejudice - February 19, 2026
- Public and Judicial Pushback Against President’s Extreme Immigration Policies - February 13, 2026
