Trump sends 'border czar' Tom Homan to Minnesota after fatal ICE shooting

US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) said he is sending his “border czar”, Tom Homan, to Minnesota, a decision that follows public anger over the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis over the weekend.  

Announcing the development in a post on Truth Social, Trump said Homan would arrive in the state immediately, despite not having previously overseen operations there.

 

“I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there,” Trump wrote.

 

He said Homan would report directly to him and described the official as “tough but fair”.

 

 

“Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” Trump said, before turning to what he described as large-scale welfare fraud in the state.

 

“Separately, a major investigation is going on with respect to the massive $20 billion-plus welfare fraud that has taken place in Minnesota, and is at least partially responsible for the violent organised protests going on in the streets,” Trump said.

 

In the same post, Trump said the Department of Justice and Congress are also reviewing the finances of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

 

“Additionally, the DOJ and Congress are looking at ‘Congresswoman’ Ilhan Omar, who left Somalia with nothing and is now reportedly worth more than $44 million. Time will tell all,” Trump said as he concluded his post.

 

Trump designated Tom Homan as his administration’s “border czar” in November 2024 to oversee immigration enforcement and mass deportation efforts from 2025 to 2029, drawing on Homan’s experience as a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement with a reputation for tough border security policies.

White House outlines Homan’s role

Sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X that Homan would oversee immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.

 

“Tom Homan will be managing ICE operations on the ground in Minnesota to continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” she said.

 

Leavitt added that Homan would also coordinate with officials leading investigations into alleged fraud.

 

“In addition, Tom will coordinate with those leading investigations into the massive, widespread fraud that has resulted in billions of taxpayer dollars being stolen from law-abiding citizens in Minnesota,” she said.

 

Tom Homan will be managing ICE Operations on the ground in Minnesota to continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. In addition, Tom will coordinate with those leading investigations into the massive, widespread fraud that has resulted in billions of… pic.twitter.com/pm552dhpxq

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 26, 2026

Trump signals possible withdrawal of agents

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that his administration is reviewing the latest shooting and indicated that federal immigration officers may eventually leave the Minneapolis area. 

“At some point we will leave. We’ve done, they’ve done a phenomenal job,” Trump said in the interview, without offering a timeline.

Shooting sparks legal scrutiny

The developments follow the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by US immigration agents on Saturday. The Department of Homeland Security described the incident as an attack. 

 

However, bystander videos reviewed and verified by Reuters show Pretti holding a phone rather than a weapon as he attempts to assist other protesters who had been pushed to the ground by agents.

Court to hear challenge to federal deployment

A federal judge in Minneapolis is set to consider on Monday whether the Trump administration’s deployment of thousands of federal law enforcement officers to Minnesota violates the state’s sovereignty. The hearing gains urgency following Pretti’s death.

 

Lawyers representing the state of Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, are seeking a temporary halt to the deployment of nearly 3,000 immigration agents. They argue that the operation amounts to an unconstitutional and unlawful occupation.

 

Since the arrival of federal forces, two US citizens, including Pretti, have been killed by agents, thousands of people have been arrested, and protests have intensified across the state.