Human Rights Watch (HRW) on June 18 detailed abuses endured by communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul during the occupation of the Twin Cities area by immigration officers. According to HRW, officers terrorized residents, committed widespread human rights violations, and exposed "deeply abusive" tendencies within US immigration enforcement.

The statement accompanied HRW's new report, "A Manufactured Crisis," an in-depth analysis of the abuses committed by federal agents in the Twin Cities between December 2025 and March 2026—the duration of their deployment in Minnesota.

HRW found that Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal officers engaged in racial profiling, created immense fear and anxiety, threatened residents with lethal force, deployed chemical irritants, demolished property, and fatally shot two US citizens during their campaign.

"The federal government sent hordes of masked, armed agents to grab people off the street, whisk them away in shackles, and abuse those who sought to bear witness," said Reagan Williams, HRW conflict and crisis researcher.

Dubbed "Operation Metro Surge," the massive deployment of ICE agents in Minnesota was part of President Donald Trump’s broader controversial immigration enforcement scheme, and was the largest interior deployment of immigration agents since he took office in January 2025. President Trump has deployed ICE agents to several cities across the US, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated that the purpose of the federal operation was to "keep Americans safe and ERADICATE fraud," claiming they would not leave the city until they achieved the agency's objective. However, the HRW report asserts that the occupation had the opposite effect, creating a widespread atmosphere of terror.

Throughout his new term, President Trump has made clear his intent to enforce stricter immigration and mass deportation policies, often stating that he would primarily target non-citizen residents with criminal histories. However, HRW found that during the Minnesota campaign, ICE officials detained approximately 4,000 immigrants, over 75% of whom had no criminal history, and many of whom were detained arbitrarily.

While the Trump administration has officially concluded Operation Metro Surge, its effects will reverberate through the state of Minnesota for many years to come. The city of Minneapolis has estimated nearly $700 million in community impacts, stemming from property damage, residents' inability to go to work, and food and shelter needs. Additionally, the Trump administration is prosecuting Minnesota residents and government officials on separate charges related to impeding federal agents during the raids.

The HRW report calls for "urgent and comprehensive" action to repair the harms suffered in Minnesota, and for the federal government to stop its abuse of immigrants and other US residents.

"Operation Metro Surge put the violent and abusive practices of these agencies on full display. We have clear proof of how they operate when impunity prevails, and we need to urgently chart a new way forward through accountability and structural reforms that put an end to these abuses," Williams added.

From JURIST, June 18. Used with permission.

See our last report on the struggle in Minnesota.