Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs today, criticizing Operation Metro Surge, which he described as “the largest single largest immigration-enforcement surge in U.S. history.” Ellison called for an end to the operation, arguing that it has caused significant harm to Minnesota.
In his statement, Ellison said, “The surge has caused real harm to our state, and it must end.” He urged lawmakers to use their oversight authority and pass comprehensive immigration reform. “Finally, pass comprehensive immigration reform. The best time to have done so would have been 20 or 30 years ago. The next best time – is now,” he stated.
Ellison questioned the federal government’s rationale for the operation. He pointed out that Minnesota ranks 28th among states in terms of undocumented immigrants and noted that Florida and Texas each have nearly as many undocumented residents as Minnesota’s entire population. He also rejected claims that the surge was intended to combat fraud in government programs, stating, “We have convicted 300 Medicaid fraudsters in the last seven years.”
He criticized the deployment of federal agents instead of forensic accountants: “The government did not surge forensic accountants into Minnesota. Instead, it sent 3,000 masked, armed men – who are now kicking in doors, demanding papers, and killing Minnesotans, not fighting fraud.”
Ellison argued that Operation Metro Surge has made it harder to fight fraud by prompting experienced prosecutors to leave the U.S. Attorney’s office in Minnesota and overwhelming remaining staff with habeas corpus petitions.
Addressing claims about reducing violent crime, Ellison said violent crime rates were already falling before the operation began and cited ICE data showing that most detainees had no criminal records: “ICE’s own data shows that 77% of those it has detained in Minnesota have no criminal records at all.” He highlighted cases involving children detained during the operation.
Ellison also claimed that two out of three homicides committed in Minneapolis this year involved federal immigration agents: “two of the three homicides committed in Minneapolis in 2026 have come at the hands of federal immigration agents.”
Regarding cooperation between state and federal authorities on immigration enforcement, Ellison noted existing compliance with notification laws but emphasized legal limits on detention times under both state law and court decisions.
He attributed political motives to Operation Metro Surge by referencing a social media post from former President Trump promising “retribution and reckoning” for Minnesota. According to Ellison: “This war on Minnesota is retribution — for our policies, our values, and how we vote — and it comes at great cost.”
Ellison listed consequences including deaths linked to immigration agents’ actions—naming Renee Good and Alex Pretti—as well as business closures, educational disruptions affecting thousands of children, economic harm, social division, and constitutional violations related to states’ rights under the Tenth Amendment.
He concluded by calling on federal officials: “End the surge. Now. It has already gone too far. It must go no further.”
