Tom Homan Defies “Retreat” Narrative: Hundreds of DHS Agents Remain in Minnesota to Target “Massive” Fraud Networks
BREAKING — In a direct challenge to critics claiming a federal withdrawal, “Border Czar” Tom Homan has confirmed that hundreds of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents will remain embedded in Minnesota. While the high-visibility “Operation Metro Surge” is drawing down its street-level immigration enforcement, Homan explicitly stated that the federal government is “not walking away from anything,” signaling a tactical shift toward high-stakes financial crime and fraud investigations.
“We’re still going to have hundreds of special agents here,” Homan told reporters, clarifying that while uniformed officers may be leaving, criminal investigators are staying behind to dismantle complex fraud rings. “This is ending the surge, but we’re not going away… If we need to come back, we’ll come back.”
Deep Search: The Shift to Financial Crimes
The retention of these agents marks a transition from general immigration enforcement to targeted criminal investigations. Federal authorities are reportedly zeroing in on what they describe as “rampant” financial fraud involving federal pandemic relief and social service programs.
Targeted Units: The remaining personnel are largely special agents focused on white-collar crime, specifically wire fraud, money laundering, and identity theft.
Scope of Inquiry: Sources indicate the investigation has expanded beyond initial probes, with federal prosecutors scrutinizing multiple networks accused of siphoning billions in taxpayer dollars.
Operational Focus: Unlike the highly visible street patrols of the last two months, this phase involves forensic accounting, digital evidence gathering, and coordination with federal prosecutors to build RICO-style cases against organizational leadership.
Background: The Multi-Billion Dollar Context
This continued federal presence stems from the fallout of the “Feeding Our Future” scandal and subsequent investigations.
Feeding Our Future: Originally centered on a $250 million scheme to defraud federal child nutrition programs, the investigation has ballooned. Recent federal estimates suggest the total fraud across various sectors—including Medicaid, child care, and housing stabilization services—could exceed $1 billion.
Operation Metro Surge: Launched in late 2025, this operation deployed approximately 3,000 federal agents to the Twin Cities. The surge was ostensibly to restore order and enforce immigration laws but became a flashpoint for intense political conflict.
Political Stakes: The Trump administration has frequently cited Minnesota’s fraud cases as justification for federal intervention, characterizing the state’s oversight as negligent.
Objections: “Occupation” vs. Public Safety
The decision to leave agents in place has drawn sharp rebukes from local leaders who view the federal presence as an overreach.
Governor’s Response: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, while welcoming the end of the “surge,” expressed skepticism about the lingering federal footprint. “We will help you get to the airport,” Walz quipped, emphasizing the state’s desire for a full federal withdrawal and criticizing the operation as a “PR stunt” that traumatized communities.
Community Concerns: Civil rights groups and local activists argue that the continued presence of DHS agents maintains a climate of fear. They contend that the “fraud investigation” label is being used to justify indefinite surveillance of specific immigrant communities, particularly the Somali-American population in the Twin Cities.
Tactical Criticism: Critics point to the volatile nature of the recent surge—which included protests and fatal confrontations—as evidence that federal agents are ill-equipped for local policing, regardless of their stated mission.
Homan, however, remains unmoved by the political pushback. “We’re prioritizing those who are the biggest threat… the rapists, the murderers,” Homan said, adding that the fraud investigators will stay “until the work is done.”
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