700 ICE agents leaving Minnesota as border enforcement debate intensifies

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - WASHINGTON — Border Czar Tom Homan announced that 700 ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents are leaving Minnesota, citing increased cooperation from local law enforcement as the reason for the exodus in Minneapolis.

The announcement comes after a month of violent, high-profile clashes between law enforcement and protesters. The departure is the latest concession in what appears to be a thawing stance by the Trump administration on immigration enforcement practices.

Earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered all agents to wear body cameras effective immediately.

Democrats push for additional reforms

For Democratic lawmakers, the recent changes are insufficient. Leaders met Wednesday to outline their demands for further immigration enforcement reforms.

“Law enforcement cannot be lawless,” said Sen. Patty Murray.

Sen. Chuck Schumer detailed specific concerns about current enforcement practices.

“None of these roving patrols, you can’t just stop anybody on the street. You can’t just pick them up and not even tell them why they’re picked up, put them in some dark place, no access to a lawyer or a phone or anything else,” Schumer said.

Democrats are asking that agents show their faces and that judicial warrants be presented before arrests.

Congressional leadership divided on warrant requirements

When asked about the warrant requirement, Speaker Mike Johnson expressed concerns about implementation.

“Imagine if we had to go through the process of getting a judicial warrant, an additional warrant, to go in after people who we are here illegally. How much time? I don’t think we don’t have enough judges. We don’t have enough time. It would take decades probably to do that,” Johnson said.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded to Johnson’s comments.

“The Fourth Amendment is not an inconvenience. It is a requirement embedded in our Constitution,” Jeffries said.

The ICE reform debate will continue for the next two weeks. Lawmakers have until February 13th to come up with a solution, which is the funding deadline for the Department of Homeland Security.