NEWS RELEASE
Minnesota House of Representatives
Rochester Delegation
February 4, 2026
Legislators respond to Homan statement; raise concerns over increased ICE presence in Rochester
ROCHESTER, MINN – The House DFL Rochester Delegation released the following statement in response to the press conference held earlier today by Border Czar Tom Homan:
“Since the beginning of ‘Operation Metro Surge,’ Minnesotans have been terrorized with unconstitutional actions under the guise of ‘law enforcement.’ ICE/CBP operations in Rochester have followed the same playbook as in the Twin Cities. Citizens and legal residents alike have been detained without an opportunity to show documentation, racially profiled, arrested without cause, and abused during arrest.
“For weeks, Minnesotans have demonstrated unwavering rejection of the federal occupation through peaceful protest, mutual support, courage, and compassion. We’re glad that the Trump administration is finally responding with something besides shooting, abusing, and arresting protesters and constitutional observers. However, the only thing that will return our communities to safety is a complete end to the “surge” and the withdrawal of ICE from Minnesota.
In Rochester, we’ve seen a stark increase of ICE and CPB activity over the past few weeks, indicating a ramp up, not a draw down. Weeks of propaganda and lies from the Trump Administration leave us highly skeptical of the promises made by Tom Homan today.
“If the Trump Administration is serious about lowering tensions and improving trust, they must do more than simply remove some agents. They must obey the court orders the administration has been defying, respect constitutional rights, unmask their agents, and bring the State of Minnesota into the investigations of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.”
The House DFL Rochester Delegation includes Rep. Andy Smith (DFL – Rochester, Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester), and Rep. Kim Hicks (DFL – Rochester).
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