By Naveen Athrappully

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called on Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest detainers of more than 1,360 criminal illegal immigrants, including violent criminals, in the state’s custody, according to a Jan. 13 press release.

“Since President Trump took office, Governor Walz has refused to cooperate with ICE and released nearly 470 criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets of Minnesota,” said the statement.

An immigration detainer is a request from the agency that asks federal or local law enforcement to hold detained aliens for an extra 48 hours before DHS officials can come and claim their custody. Immigration detainers are also used to request agencies to inform ICE before releasing a removable alien.

When local law enforcement refuses to honor detainer requests, ICE agents are forced to pursue the criminal within the community, increasing danger to the public as well as for the officers involved in the operation.

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge, which launched last month, is currently ongoing in Minnesota, targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the region.

According to a Jan. 13 DHS statement, the operation resulted in the arrest of a criminal illegal alien from Laos convicted of armed robbery of a business; another criminal illegal alien from Laos with 12 criminal convictions; a criminal illegal alien from Liberia convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct; a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador convicted of sex assault; and a criminal illegal alien from Mexico convicted of drug charges.

Since Operation Metro Surge began, more than 1,500 illegal aliens, including murderers, pedophiles, rapists, and gang members, have been arrested across Minnesota, according to a Jan. 8 statement.

“We are calling on Walz and Frey to stop this dangerous policy and commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans.”

Case Filed Against ICE

On Jan. 12, the state of Minnesota, alongside the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, filed a lawsuit against DHS, asking the court to end the enforcement operation in the area, and declare it “unconstitutional and unlawful.”

“This surge has resulted in tangible harm to the state of Minnesota and its people, as well as the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. As a result of this surge, municipalities have been forced to divert local law enforcement resources away from their normal public safety duties, emergency responder resources have been strained, schools have been forced into lockdowns and closures, businesses have been forced to close, and the rights of Minnesotans have been violated time and time again,” said an official report on the lawsuit.

Plaintiffs called for an end to using force against “individuals peacefully engaging in constitutionally protected speech,” and “innocent bystanders,” and carrying out enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools, churches, hospitals.

McLaughlin responded to the lawsuit, “It really is astounding that the Left can miraculously rediscover the Tenth Amendment when they don’t want federal law enforcement officers to enforce federal law—which is a clear federal responsibility under Article I, Article II and the Supremacy Clause—and then go right back to federalizing every state responsibility possible when they get back in power.”

Joseph Lord contributed to this report.