By the morning of January 6, federal immigration agents in bulletproof vests had detained a man in St. Paul as part of what officials described as an unprecedented immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was present with the agents, highlighting the Trump administration’s increased focus on immigration enforcement in the state.
Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), referred to the action as the “largest immigration operation ever” during an interview with Newsmax on January 6.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secretary Noem shared videos on social media showing ICE agents arresting Tomas Espin Tapia in St. Paul’s Payne-Phalen neighborhood. According to Noem, Espin Tapia had been convicted of robbery and extortion in Ecuador and faced a murder warrant there. A 2018 Ecuadorian court document cited by the Minnesota Star Tribune linked Espin Tapia to a kidnapping case involving ransom demands.
Court records indicate that Espin Tapia has lived in Minnesota for several years and has multiple citations for driving without a license. He was scheduled to appear in Dakota County District Court on January 7 for another such offense.
DHS began its messaging that morning with “GOOD MORNING MINNEAPOLIS!” before posting footage of the arrest, captured by professional camera crews. The visibility of these actions has led both officials and advocates to note an escalation in federal immigration activity across Minnesota.
U.S. Representative Tom Emmer, GOP House majority whip, responded positively to ICE’s presence, stating: “God bless our brave ICE agents. Go out there and get ’em.”
Governor Tim Walz addressed the situation at a news conference on January 6, describing it as “a show of the cameras” and characterizing it as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign against political opponents.
Social media posts featuring Noem with local agents coincided with reports that hundreds—potentially up to 2,000—additional federal agents may be sent to the Twin Cities for a month-long surge operation. CBS News reported that this deployment would include personnel from ICE’s deportation branch and Homeland Security Investigations, significantly increasing federal operations in Minnesota.
While DHS did not confirm those figures when contacted by the Star Tribune, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin stated that over 1,000 arrests have occurred in the region. However, this number could not be independently verified by local media as no list of detainees has been released.
Over recent weeks, increased federal activity has been observed throughout courthouses, neighborhoods, and businesses around Minneapolis-St. Paul. Reports describe ICE making arrests at libraries and street corners across metropolitan areas—a pattern that has attracted protests and legal observers.
Activists monitoring ICE activities noted a clear uptick in enforcement actions on January 6. Rapid-response networks have formed among residents who track agent movements through neighborhood patrols and encrypted group chats warning others about ongoing arrests.
Local law enforcement agencies report they are not involved with or notified about federal immigration operations ahead of time due to legal restrictions preventing interference with lawful arrests by immigration authorities.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara reiterated his department’s non-cooperation stance regarding immigration enforcement and advised residents uncertain about detentions to contact emergency services. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office similarly stated its deputies do not participate in civil immigration arrests but may maintain public order if necessary.
The effects of these operations have also reached private businesses. On January 5, ICE accused a Lakeville Hampton Inn hotel of refusing accommodation to federal agents—a move Hilton later called inconsistent with company policy before removing the hotel from its franchise network.
