Border czar cites increased coordination with local jails that allows federal agents to take custody of detainees before release, reducing community arrests.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will immediately draw down 700 law enforcement personnel, a move made possible by what federal officials described as unprecedented cooperation from local and county jails, according to border czar Tom Homan.
Speaking Wednesday at a press conference in Minneapolis, Homan said a growing number of jurisdictions in Minnesota are notifying ICE in advance of inmate release times, allowing federal agents to assume custody inside secure jail facilities rather than conducting arrests in neighborhoods.
“That requires one or two officers instead of eight or 10 going into neighborhoods,” Homan said. He described the approach as more efficient and said it improves safety for the public, law enforcement officers and detainees.
Homan said the personnel reduction does not affect officers assigned to security and protection duties. He warned that any additional drawdowns would depend on a halt to what he described as assaults, interference and threats directed at ICE and Border Patrol agents.
“We will not draw down on personnel providing security for our officers,” Homan said, adding that federal authorities would continue to respond aggressively to hostile incidents.
According to Homan, cooperation from local and county officials has expanded significantly in recent weeks, including coordination with county sheriffs and jail administrators. He said many jurisdictions are now communicating regularly with ICE and allowing agents to take custody of detainees before they are released.
“We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets,” he said.
Homan emphasized that local agencies are not being asked to hold inmates beyond their scheduled release times or to carry out immigration enforcement themselves.
“We are not requiring jails to hold people past their normal release time,” he said. “We’re not asking anyone to be an immigration officer.”
Under the revised approach, ICE agents take custody of individuals at the moment of release from jail. Homan said this reduces public safety risks and allows federal officers to concentrate resources on higher-priority cases.
He said the change aligns with the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which focuses on public safety and national security threats while maintaining nationwide enforcement of immigration laws.
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