Federal ICE Presence Scales Back in Minnesota, but Immigrant Fears Linger
Coverage from mid-February 2026 shows federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities are drawing down, yet many immigrants and local volunteers say life has not returned to normal. As agents leave the state, community groups continue delivering groceries and checking on residents who remain too frightened to venture outside.
What officials announced and the scale of the pullback
White House border czar Tom Homan announced that Operation Metro Surge will be wound down, with a smaller contingent of federal agents remaining to provide field security. Public coverage published Feb. 16, 2026 noted that roughly 1, 000 agents have already left Minnesota; officials say day-to-day enforcement will transition back to the local field office. A review of an internal Department of Homeland Security document shows that the majority of undocumented immigrants arrested during the operation did not have a violent criminal history—less than 14% had records of violent crimes and roughly 40% had no criminal past at all.
Community response: deliveries, fear and broken trust
Despite the announced pullback, fear remains widespread. One woman who came to the Twin Cities from Mexico said she has not left her St. Paul apartment for more than a month and that it takes courage to even take out the trash. She described missing the window to apply for asylum and said she dreams of becoming a teacher and owning a home. "We are not criminals. Our only 'crime' is not being from the United States. But we are good people, " she said.
Local businesses and volunteer teams have stepped in to reach residents who will not risk stepping outside. Ramiro Hernandez, owner of a neighborhood grocery, organized delivery runs and said volunteers completed more than 30 deliveries on a single recent Sunday. Jeff and Charlotte Dische, a St. Paul couple, said they have helped make deliveries several times a week and view their work as a modest but meaningful way to support neighbors too afraid to leave home.
Hernandez said the government has eroded trust in the community and that some people who have legal status still choose to stay indoors after witnessing detentions during the operation. For many in the immigrant community, the announced reduction in federal presence has not yet translated into a sense of safety.
Political and civic fallout as control shifts
Commentary in recent days has framed the shift as a response to sustained civic pressure and broad public unrest. Local observers point to organized, disciplined community responses—watching, documenting and mobilizing volunteers—as a factor that influenced federal posture. The civic movement in the Twin Cities has combined public protest and quieter, community-based tactics that residents and commentators say made continued heavy-handed enforcement politically costly.
With federal agents stepping back, attention now turns to how local field offices will manage enforcement and how elected officials will respond. Minnesota’s political leaders, and household names in the state’s delegation such as Rep. Tom Emmer, are likely to be watched closely for their next moves as the balance between federal and local responsibility shifts. For residents and volunteers on the ground, however, the immediate priority remains rebuilding trust and making sure basic needs are met while uncertainty persists.
The announced drawdown marks a shift in presence, not an end to enforcement. Community organizers urge caution in interpreting the change as a return to normalcy, noting that a smaller number of federal agents will remain in the region and that many immigrant families will continue to avoid public spaces until they feel secure.
