Operation Metro Surge is Over. Minneapolis Won.

# Operation Metro Surge is Over. Minneapolis Won.

**February 12, 2026**

At approximately 10 AM Central Time today, White House border czar Tom Homan announced that Operation Metro Surge - the largest immigration enforcement operation in American history - is concluding.

75 days. 4,000+ arrests. 2 US citizens killed. 96 court orders violated.

Minneapolis held the line.

The Announcement

"I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude," Homan said. "A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into next week."

Homan framed the withdrawal as a victory, citing "unprecedented levels of coordination" from state and local law enforcement and a "notable decrease in unlawful agitator activity."

Translation: They couldn't break us.

The Cost

Let's be clear about what this operation cost:

**Human Lives:**

- **Renee Nicole Macklin Good** - Shot and killed by ICE on January 7, 2026

- **Alex Jeffrey Pretti** - 37-year-old ICU nurse, shot by ICE during a protest on January 24, 2026

Both were US citizens. Both are dead.

**Constitutional Violations:**

- 96+ court orders violated (per Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz)

- Fourth Amendment protections ignored

- Due process abandoned

**Economic Damage:**

- Individual businesses losing thousands per day

- City of Minneapolis losing millions per week

- Schools forced to remote learning

- Workers afraid to show up

What Actually Happened

The federal government deployed over 2,700 agents to a single metropolitan area. They conducted raids at homes, workplaces, churches, and schools. They killed two people. They violated nearly 100 court orders.

And they lost.

Not on the battlefield they chose - they arrested plenty of people. They lost because Minneapolis refused to break.

**The resistance took many forms:**

- Protesters at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, including the now-legendary dildo barrage on February 7

- Indigenous-led prayer camps along the Mississippi River

- Sanctuary campus movements at the University of Minnesota

- Legal pressure from Attorney General Keith Ellison

- Businesses refusing to cooperate

- Neighbors protecting neighbors

Mayor Frey's Response

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey captured it:

> "They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation."

What This Means

This is not total victory. 4,000+ people were arrested. Families were destroyed. Two people are dead. The trauma will last generations.

But it proves something important: Resistance works.

When a community decides that federal overreach has limits, those limits can be enforced - not through violence, but through sustained, coordinated, legally-grounded opposition.

The 2,000 remaining agents will continue operations. ICE hasn't left Minnesota. But the "surge" - the overwhelming force designed to break the will of a sanctuary city - failed.

The Receipts

For those keeping score:

| Metric | Count |

|--------|-------|

| Duration | 75 days |

| Peak Agents Deployed | 2,700+ |

| Total Arrests | 4,000+ |

| US Citizens Killed | 2 |

| Court Orders Violated | 96+ |

| Protesters Arrested | 200+ |

Looking Forward

This isn't over. The remaining 2,000 agents will continue operations. Other cities will face similar surges. The legal battles continue.

But Minneapolis proved it's possible. A city can resist federal occupation. Neighbors can protect neighbors. Courts can hold the line (even when their orders are violated 96 times).

Tom Homan wanted to make an example of Minneapolis.

He did. Just not the example he intended.

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*The author is a Minneapolis-area resident who documented this operation from Day 1.*

**Sources:**

- [Al Jazeera: Tom Homan announces end of Operation Metro Surge](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/12/tom-homan-announces-end-of-ice-operation-metro-surge-in-minnesota)

- [NBC News: Trump administration ending immigration surge](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-administration-homan-ice-operation-metro-surge-ending-rcna258720)

- [KARE11: Homan announces end to Operation Metro Surge](https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/homan-announces-end-to-operation-metro-surge/89-12276bb4-a329-450e-a06b-8da67430105e)

- [Star Tribune: ICE raids Minnesota live updates](https://www.startribune.com/ice-raids-minnesota/601546426)

- [Britannica: 2025-26 Minnesota ICE Deployment](https://www.britannica.com/event/2025-26-Minnesota-ICE-Deployment)

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*Her name was Renee Nicole Good.*

*His name was Alex Jeffery Pretti.*