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President Donald Trump ordered the removal of the interim director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota, Todd Lyons, and the senior official of the Border Patrol Gregory Bovino, amid increasing political pressure over the federal operation in Minneapolis and the deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal agents.
The White House confirmed that veteran former ICE chief and current "border czar," Tom Homan, will temporarily take control of immigration operations in the state, with the mission to "recalibrate tactics and reduce tension" following the incidents that occurred under the so-called Operation Metro Surge.
According to Reuters, the measure is part of a “strategic repositioning” by the Trump administration, aimed at softening the tone of its immigration policy in cities governed by Democrats after two deaths — that of nurse Alex Pretti and Renee Good, a 37-year-old young mother — triggered strong protests and questions nationwide.
The decision comes after a federal judge in Minnesota ordered Lyons to appear in court this Friday for possible contempt of court for having ignored a judicial order regarding a detained immigrant.
The judicial and media pressure intensified following the release of a video that contradicts the version provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which claimed that Pretti posed "an imminent threat."
The video, verified by Reuters, shows that the 37-year-old nurse was unarmed and did not resist at the time of the shooting. His death sparked protests outside the ICE office in Minneapolis and reactions from local leaders who accused the government of "excessive use of force."
Sources close to the White House indicated that Trump spent the weekend meeting with advisors reviewing the federal response and that, following the meeting, he decided to replace Bovino and instructed Homan to "reduce the intensity" of operations and "restore cooperation with local authorities."
Homan met this Tuesday with Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to discuss the reduction of the more than 3,000 federal agents deployed in the city.
Both officials demanded an independent investigation into the two shootings and the end of Metro Surge.
"We urge that these operations come to an end as soon as possible," Frey stated in a statement, while Walz assured that the state's goal is "to restore public trust and ensure that there is no impunity."
For his part, Trump insisted that his administration "will not tolerate abuse, but neither will it accept weakness," and reaffirmed his support for the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who had been mentioned by some media as a possible resigning official.
"Kristi is not going to resign. We have a great relationship, and she is doing a tremendous job," said the leader in statements to journalists.
Sources from the Department of Homeland Security indicated that Homan will replace mass raids with targeted and discreet operations, focused on individuals with criminal backgrounds, instead of the broad urban deployments carried out by Bovino in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
The crisis in Minneapolis represents one of the most delicate challenges for Trump since his return to the presidency, combining racial tensions, social discontent, and legal pressure regarding his immigration policies.
The White House hopes that the changes in leadership at ICE and the review of tactics will allow for "the recovery of stability" without relinquishing border control.
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