In announcing an end to the ICE surge in Minnesota, Tom Homan has become for Democrats an unlikely good cop to Kristi Noem’s bad. But the double-act might not last long – the person Homan truly wishes to bring to book is Noem.
The White House Border Czar said this morning that the Trump administration was ending its aggressive operation and a significant draw down of 3,000 agents who flooded into the state last year was already underway. “As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” he told a press conference.
Presenting the move as mission accomplished rather than a white flag being waved, Homan said 3,364 missing children had been located, 4,000 arrests had been made, he vowed to still prioritize the deportation of criminals such as “rapists, murderers and child molesters” and said an agreement had been reached with county jail for access to illegal immigrants. “President Trump made a promise of mass deportation and that’s what this country is going to get.”
Minneapolis’ progressive mayor Jacob Frey was quick to frame the withdrawal as a victory. “They thought they could break us, but love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation.”
Trump deployed Homan to Minnesota three weeks ago to calm local tensions that had exploded into the national spotlight and threatened to turn his tough stance on immigration that was key to his 2025 election success – “they’re eating the dogs” – into a net loss for him in the forthcoming midterms.
Department of Homeland Security chief Kritsi Noem in particular, but also others in the Trump administration, were quick to brand two anti-ICE activist Minnesotans shot dead by immigration agents – Renee Good and Alex Pretti – as domestic terrorists. The public backlash after Noem said Pretti, who was armed, “arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement” on January 24 was swift. Almost as swift was Trump’s recognition that Noem’s comments and her aggressive handling of the ICE operation in Minnesota were turning the public mood against him. Homan was dispatched the same weekend to defuse the situation.
Of note from the Homan press conference was how he thanked by name some of the Minnesota officials who have been singled out for criticism by others in the Trump administration. “We’ve seen a big change here in the last couple of weeks. And it’s all good changes.”
Homan’s non-too-veiled criticisms of Noem were a very public swipe at the woman who is technically his boss, although he now takes orders directly from the president. The two were barely speaking to each before this. It is unclear what sparked the feud.
Noem may be on thin ice, as it were. She is responsible not only for cratering support for the president’s immigration crackdown but also potentially the finances of her own department. Outrage over the shooting of Alex Pretti led to Chuck Schumer torpedoing a DHS funding bill unless more controls are imposed on immigration agents. Although funding runs out on Saturday, the DHS is awash $170 billion in additional money from Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”. Yet if the standoff continues the department will eventually feel a financial squeeze.
This is a completely unforced error on behalf of Noem whose judgment in putting Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino in charge of the Minnesota operation – Metro Surge – was also called into question by Trump. When Trump dispatched Homan to take over, Bovino, who ordered agents to make a public spectacle of aggressive enforcement, was immediately removed.
Noem’s job, however, is probably secure. Trump doesn’t like to throw his team to the baying hounds of the press. But Homan is now the public face of immigration enforcement as well as the man with the president’s ear. Noem held a press conference last week at the border wall in Texas to celebrate the “first year of the most secure border ever.” No doubt her future holds more such ribbon cutting photo opps rather than the complicated business of real homeland security.
The future of immigration surges promised by Trump in other Democrat cities also looks dead.
One thing we can be sure about is that Homan will be furious over how the reputation of the US Border Patrol has been tarnished by recent events. He served as an agent, investigator and supervisor with the patrol for 30 years and is deeply attached to its core mission. He speaks movingly about the immigrant children he has seen killed by people smugglers. He will be aware that the public mood is changing towards ICE and its partner force the Border Patrol and will want to safeguard its legacy should a future Democrat administration seek to harness public unhappiness over Minnesota to dismantle it.
Tom Homan is the right man for the job, the right combination of tough, smart and driven. Yet he might win the battle against illegal immigrants in the streets – that the country voted for – and lose the wider political war because so much damage has already been done.
