President Donald Trump said on Monday, January 26, 2026, that he is deploying Tom Homan to Minnesota to help lead federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities as street clashes and investigations mount.
In a series of statements, Trump said Homan will “report directly to me” and coordinate on both enforcement activity and parallel probes that the administration links to unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The White House move follows weeks of confrontation around Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, including two fatal encounters this month. City officials said Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara were expected to address the public on Monday as authorities urged residents to avoid flashpoint areas and to share any video that could aid ongoing reviews of force.
A change in federal command on the ground
Trump framed Homan’s assignment as a leadership infusion aimed at restoring control over ICE operations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Homan, a former acting ICE director and one of the administration’s most visible immigration hard-liners, is being positioned to coordinate with federal counterparts and local agencies.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan “will be managing ICE operations on the ground in Minnesota and coordinating with others on the ongoing fraud investigations.”
Leavitt did not clarify whether the deployment signals a lack of confidence in the existing command structure. The administration has repeatedly said its focus is on “criminal illegal aliens,” while attributing operational friction to organized agitators who interfere with arrests. The new directive centralizes decision-making under a single figure known for aggressive enforcement, a shift that supporters say could streamline tactics and accountability.
Probes, politics and Trump’s allegations
Trump paired Homan’s deployment with explosive claims about money and politics in Minnesota. The president asserted that a “$20 billion-plus welfare fraud” investigation is underway and suggested it has fueled street mobilization. He also said the Justice Department and Congress are “looking at” Rep. Ilhan Omar, describing her wealth in stark terms and promising that “time will tell.” The White House did not provide documentation for those specific allegations, and Omar’s office did not immediately respond to inquiries in the hours after Trump’s posts.
The president’s criticism of Minnesota Democrats comes as the state’s leaders press for limits on federal operations. Gov. Tim Walz has condemned recent shootings and called for the drawdown of federal personnel.
City hall has asked for clear identification of federal officers, consistent camera policies and a defined process for independent review when force is used. Those demands set the stage for a political collision over who sets the rules in the streets of Minneapolis.
