Since mid-February, the planes Nick Benson observes on the icy runway at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are mostly empty, with federal agents typically loading fewer than a dozen immigration detainees per flight. This is a big change from last month, when he watched as up to 127 detainees boarded — the biggest group he has seen sent out on one plane since Operation Metro Surge started.
Benson, a person who observes flights and donates their time to the group MN50501,noted that it indicates a substantial reduction in the number of detainees transported from Minnesota to El Paso, Texas, or other detention facilities throughout the nation.
When border chief Tom Homanreported on February 12 that the operation had concluded, it faced doubt from activists and organizations focused on immigrant rights. However, the findings from the airport contribute to a growing number of signs—such as official statements, legal documents, and interactions with activists—that indicate federal immigration authorities have significantly reduced their presence in Minnesota.
“Although I am highly skeptical of any information the federal government is currently providing, the current trend and data align with what I would anticipate if situations were improving,” stated Benson, who observes from the upper levels of an airport parking structure and tracks each detained immigrant being flown out.
The large numbers of detainees no longer being transported out in January, when Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was overseeing the operation in Minnesota.
In the past, observers frequently noted 70 or more detainees aboard each flight, with usually two flights operating daily, as reported by Benson’s data, which combines direct counts and estimates derived from federal detainee caravan sizes. Earlier this week, there were two consecutive days without any detainee flights departing from MSP, marking the first occurrence since early January.
In reply to inquiries regarding the frequency of detainee flights, a representative from the Department of Homeland Security refused to provide specific details.
ICE carries out flights across the United States on a daily basis,” they mentioned in an email statement. “For reasons of operational security, ICE will not talk about current or upcoming operations.
More details regarding the number of federal immigration agents still stationed in Minnesota were provided in court documents on Monday as part of an ACLU lawsuit targeting the federal government, which claims violations.racial discrimination against Somali and Latino individuals stereotyping of Somali and Latino communities biased treatment of Somali and Latino populations prejudice towards Somali and Latino people unfair targeting of Somali and Latino individuals discriminatory practices against Somali and Latino groups systemic bias against Somali and Latino communities unjust scrutiny of Somali and Latino people racist profiling of Somali and Latino individuals prejudicial behavior towards Somali and Latino populations.
The director of ICE’s St. Paul field office, Sam Olson, stated in a sworn declaration that as of February 23, there were 270 Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers and 700 Homeland Security Investigations agents assigned to the St. Paul field office. He mentioned that following Wednesday, approximately 107 ERO officers will continue to be stationed there. By the beginning of March, around 300 agents will still be on assignment.
A separate statement from Marty Raybon Sr., the Customs and Border Protection’s lead field coordinator for Operation Metro Surge, indicated that the 67 CBP officers still assigned to the operation in Minnesota would be “demobilized” by February 23.
Even with those statements, immigrant rights advocates continue to be doubtful. Miguel Hernandez, a coordinator for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), mentioned that he still frequently comes across reports of immigrants being detained, particularly in the outer areas of the Twin Cities suburbs.
He believes the agents are focusing on regions beyond Minneapolis and St. Paul now since there is a weaker presence of residents prepared to react swiftly, and fewer densely populated immigrant communities.
“We simply believe that the strategies have evolved and they are operating in areas where cameras cannot reach,” he stated.
On the morning of February 20, Collette Adkins, a resident of Blaine, was conducting her usual patrol to monitor ICE operations when she witnessed at least six masked agents arresting a Latino man in the parking lot of the Coon Rapids Police Department. Her footage captures her yelling to obtain the man’s name and a contact number to report the incident, as the agents placed him in handcuffs.
“I was completely heartbroken to learn that these multi-agent, multi-vehicle operations were still taking place following the announcement that the surge had concluded,” she stated.
Adkins stated that she is not comforted by the reduced number of detainees being flown out. She insists on receiving the official arrest figures from the Department of Homeland Security before she can trust in the reduction efforts.
Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar and Angie Craigwere informed during a Feb. 20 tour of the Whipple buildingthat less than 500 ICE officers were left in Minnesota, and that the government is conducting only two flights of detained individuals per week from MSP.
Benson stated that this does not align with his observations: He has witnessed a detainee flight departing from MSP every day between January 5 and February 21, except for February 13, when there was no flight. Omar and Craig also mentioned that they were told there were no more detainees left at the facility when they visited it on Friday.
A representative for Craig mentioned that the members of Congress have contacted officials to seek clarification regarding the differences between what they were informed during the visit and the information they have received from their constituents. They are currently waiting for a reply.
Among observers, Signal messaging groups continue to be active and focused on monitoring for ICE, although there are frequently extended periods with no confirmed agent activity.
Hernandez stated that he believes Homan’s statement was meant to discourage the work of monitors. However, Hernandez feels that the majority of observers are not reducing their activities and continue to patrol the area, raising alerts when they spot agents, even though such occurrences are now less common.
We remain watchful,” he stated. “If a group of 50 ICE officers is behaving cruelly, it remains an issue. Was the presence of 3,000 agents a total catastrophe for our community? Yes, it was. However, even 50 or 100 agents can definitely cause harm to our community, so we treat it very seriously.
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