CAIR-MN Calls End of Operation Metro Surge a Community Win as Federal Withdrawal Begins

Federal pullback follows weeks of enforcement, protests, and legal challenges

Federal immigration authorities began winding down “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota after weeks of intensified enforcement activity across the Twin Cities region that drew sustained public protests, municipal emergency responses, and ongoing litigation. Minneapolis officials said the federal drawdown is expected to occur over the coming days, with agents leaving in phases.

CAIR-Minnesota, the state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said it welcomed the wind-down as a “community victory” while warning that the operation’s impacts will persist for affected families and neighborhoods. The organization said it is seeking transparency on the scale of arrests and detentions, and it called for independent scrutiny of use-of-force incidents tied to the operation.

What is known about the operation and its local impacts

Operation Metro Surge began in late 2025 and brought a large federal presence to Minnesota, including personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other Department of Homeland Security components. Local and state leaders have described the deployment as disruptive to public safety and civic life, citing repeated incidents that required local responses and strained municipal resources.

In January, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, joined by the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt the surge. The legal action argues the deployment and certain enforcement tactics violated constitutional and administrative law protections, including claims involving federal overreach and alleged unlawful stops and arrests. A federal court later declined to grant a preliminary injunction, while still acknowledging extensive alleged harms described in the record. The case remains active.

• Local officials said schools experienced heightened security concerns, including lockdowns and closures in some districts.
• City leaders reported significant public-safety costs, including substantial police overtime tied to crowd management and incident response.
• Community groups and local institutions reported decreased public activity and disruptions to daily life amid fear of enforcement actions.

Shootings, investigations, and accountability demands

The operation drew heightened national attention after fatal shootings connected to federal activity in Minneapolis, including the death of Renée Good on Jan. 7, 2026, as described in filings and public statements by local officials. Separate reporting on additional incidents contributed to broader calls for de-escalation and transparent investigations, including statements from national civic organizations urging credible reviews of deaths and other enforcement-related events.

CAIR-MN said the drawdown does not resolve outstanding questions about the operation’s conduct, including how enforcement decisions were made, what safeguards were used, and what remedies may be available to those impacted. The group also emphasized the need for legal and mental-health support for families affected by detentions, separations, and alleged trauma.

CAIR-MN framed the federal withdrawal as the result of organized community pressure, while cautioning that similar enforcement initiatives could be deployed elsewhere.

What happens next

Minneapolis leaders said they are monitoring the federal departure timeline and planning for recovery efforts as the operation ends locally. Meanwhile, the state and cities’ lawsuit continues, and civil rights advocates are pressing for public accounting of arrests, detentions, and use-of-force incidents associated with Operation Metro Surge.