NASW Minnesota Chapter Response to the Announcement that ICE’s “Operation Metro Surge” Will be Ending
- NASW-IL Staff
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
BACKUS, MN - President Trump and Border Czar Tom Hollman have announced that they plan to end “Operation Metro Surge," the federal operation that flooded Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities, with thousands of federal immigration and customs enforcement officers since early December. For months, this large-scale federal enforcement operation has deeply impacted individuals, families, and communities across Minnesota, creating fear, instability, and significant harm. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents have led to significant backlash against the operation. Support for ending this occupation has garnered international attention, with people across the country and the globe sending love letters to Minnesota.
At the NASW Minnesota Chapter (NASWMN), we are joining our state officials in adopting, as Gov. Tim Walz said, a “trust but verify mode," with the understanding that this announcement has not yet led to noticeable reduction in the violence on the ground in our communities. Gov. Walz said he expects forces to begin withdrawing in “days, not weeks and months”, however, federal officials have not announced how many agents will be removed from Minnesota. Border Czar Tom Hollman confirmed that he is not removing all federal officers and that immigration enforcement will continue, stating "If you’re in this country illegally, you’re not off the table."
We will continue to monitor the situation closely to determine if this development does in fact lead to a reduction in violence from federal agents in our communities in the coming days. Currently, local organizations are still struggling to fill the basic needs of Minnesotans who are unable to leave home due to this federal occupation. Please visit our resource list if you are seeking support, or if you have the capacity to give to those in need of support: https://naswmn.socialworkers.org/News/Community-Resources
Additional NASW Resources
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, boasting a membership of approximately 120,000 in 56 state, territorial, and international chapters.
NASW's Minnesota Chapter (NASW-MN) currently maintains a membership base of nearly 2,000 professionally-trained social workers and students. Every year, we host a number of training and advocacy events around the state, including the Annual Conference, Social Work Summit, and Social Work Day at the Capitol. Our staff, interns, and volunteers work with community partners to promote practices and policies that align with social work ethics and values, and promote social justice.
