Dept. of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that federal agents have made over 3,000 arrests in Minnesota since the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge began in December.
Tensions continued over the weekend in Minneapolis, as protesters clashed in the streets with law enforcement, following the second shooting there in about a week involving a federal officer.
The Department of Homeland Security said that on Wednesday, a federal law enforcement officer shot a person, who they say had fled a traffic stop and then, along with two other people, began attacking the officer.
That incident followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, on Jan. 7. DHS officials said Good was allegedly attempting to run over law enforcement officers when an ICE officer fatally shot her — a claim that local officials have disputed.
Federal agents have made over 3,000 arrests in Minnesota
In a statement to ABC News on Sunday, Dept. of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that federal agents have made over 3,000 arrests in Minnesota since the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge began in December.
Among those arrested were nearly 150 U.S citizens for “assault or obstructing law enforcement,” according to DHS.
“Rioters and terrorists have assaulted law enforcement, launched fireworks at them, slashed the tires of their vehicles, and vandalized federal property. Others have chosen to ignore commands and have attempted to obstruct law enforcement operations and used their vehicles as weapons against our officers,” McLaughlin said.
She said that federal agents “used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.”
Trump says Rep. Ilhan Omar should be ‘sent back to Somalia’
In renewed attacks against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., President Donald Trump said on social media Sunday night that the congresswoman “should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia,” which he called “one of the absolutely worst countries in the World.”
“She could help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!” the president wrote.
His social media post comes after he earlier in the day accused Omar and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of opposing ICE action to distract from alleged fraud in the state.
The president has repeatedly called out Omar and the Somali community in Minnesota over the last few months.
Trump says Walz, Omar opposing ICE actions in Minnesota to distract from alleged fraud
President Donald Trump on Sunday blasted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for opposing the ongoing ICE actions there, accusing them of doing it to distract from alleged fraud in the state.
“ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring [sic] them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this?” Trump asked in his social media post, referring to the people being detained as “murderers” and “drug dealers,” and the protesters as “thugs” that “include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists.”
“Is this really what Minnesota wants?” Trump continued. He then referenced the governor and Ilhan, accusing them, without evidence, of trying to keep “the focus of attention off the 18 Billion Dollar, Plus, FRAUD, that has taken place in the State.”
“Don’t worry, we’re on it!” he added.
The Department of Health and Human Services is freezing $10 billion in federal funds in five Democrat-run states over allegations of fraudulent child-care programming, an HHS official confirmed to ABC News earlier this month. The HHS official confirmed that the five states are California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. It’s unclear if this is the alleged fraud to which Trump referred in his post Sunday.
The post comes as Trump has repeatedly threatened to use the Insurrection Act to send military personnel into Minnesota, though he appeared to back off those threats in recent days, telling reporters Friday: “I don’t think there’s any reason right now to use it, but if I needed it, I’d use it.”
Neither Walz nor Omar immediately replied to Trump’s Sunday social media post. However, Walz posted on Thursday what he called a “direct appeal to the President,” saying in part, “Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of retribution. This is not who we are.
