Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has decided to completely revise its enforcement policy in Minnesota, where controversy over indiscriminate immigration raids, including the shooting of civilians, is growing.
According to a Reuters report on the 29th, new internal guidelines have been issued to ICE agents deployed in Minnesota, outlining a “traditional targeted raid” method that will only target immigrants with confirmed criminal records. The new guidelines stipulate that all targets in Minnesota must have a clearly proven “criminal nexus,” meaning that they are under criminal charges or have been convicted. This is a stark change from the previous method of indiscriminate raids and arrests of even non-criminal immigrants on the streets.
The New York Times pointed out the reason for the shift in direction, saying, “In recent months, ICE raids have moved away from the ‘traditionally targeted raids’ that target only those with confirmed criminal records.” Field procedures will also be significantly strengthened.
Agents will be required to use loudspeakers to clearly announce their identities and purposes during arrests, and any contact or conversation with protesters other than to deliver orders will be prohibited to avoid unnecessary friction. This is interpreted as a measure to address controversy over excessive response by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
According to CNN, the new guidelines came amidst numerous behind-the-scenes discussions between the White House and the Department of Homeland Security on how to effectively conduct immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.
Tom Homan, the new director of Border Enforcement, who was dispatched to Minnesota by President Trump, is said to be deeply involved in this process. At his first press conference in Minneapolis on the 29th, Homan indirectly acknowledged responsibility, saying, “The federal government’s approach was not perfect.”
He announced that he would return to “traditionally targeted enforcement, as we have done for decades,” and that he would “only target people we know in the field and where they are.” Homan also stated that, with cooperation from the Minnesota state government, the number of ICE agents stationed in Minneapolis could be reduced.
However, it remains unclear whether this Minnesota policy shift will lead to a nationwide shift in immigration enforcement. A White House official stated that “discussions are ongoing to improve operational efficiency,” and that no final policy has been finalized.