Kristi Noem joins agents in Minnesota amid what DHS dubs "largest immigration operation ever"
The immigration crackdown in Minnesota continued Tuesday as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem returned to the Twin Cities as federal agents made more arrests in what officials are calling the "largest immigration operation ever."
CBS News cameras were there as heavily armed agents raided a St. Paul apartment building Tuesday morning, taking a man from Ecuador in custody.
"The American taxpayer is grateful that this resource allocation has been put here," Noem said. "We've never seen this kind of fraudulent and abuse of programs before in recent history."
Federal officials claim the man is a convicted felon who is now wanted for murder and sexual assault.
During the arrest, an agent translated the dialogue between Noem and the man, as his wife and child stood nearby. The man said he was not aware he was wanted for any crimes.
"You will be held accountable for your crimes," Noem said. "We're taking you away for processing."
The Whipple Federal Building near Fort Snelling in Minneapolis has been the home base for federal agents coming and going as they made arrests all over the metro on Tuesday.
In Bloomington, more than a dozen agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement — and just as many protesters — were gathered outside the nonprofit Wilderness Inquiry, located a couple of miles west of the Mall of America. ICE agents put a man into one of their squad cars and drove away.
"It makes me sad because we're all here for a reason," said witness Gloria Espinoza. "So it does make me feel very emotional."
The scene outside the nonprofit grew until the man was taken into custody. It was contentious at points, with protesters heckling agents, blowing whistles and shouting.
"He is a very sweet guy who just works and doesn't do anything bad," Michelle Zarazua, the man's girlfriend, told WCCO. "He doesn't have any arrest warrants or anything in his record for them to do this."
Zarazua said he was pulled over by ICE for a traffic stop around 7:30 a.m. He got scared and took off, running into the building for cover. She said agents were only let in after a warrant was presented to the building's owners.
She told WCCO her boyfriend is on a work permit, and the two have been worried about federal agents picking him up for months.
Homeland Security kicked off Operation Metro Surge last month, which officials say led to more than 1,000 arrests. The department says 150 arrests were made on Monday alone. On Sunday, the department announced the funneling of about 2,000 more federal agents into the Twin Cities metro area in a monthlong surge amid the state's widening fraud scandal.
A former Homeland Security official tells CBS News the operation is "a massive resource allocation" with Minneapolis now seen as "the new Chicago" in terms of recent federal law enforcement deployments. United States Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks is also expected to be on hand in the metro this month.
Homeland Security claims many of the arrestees have criminal records, but advocates say feds are also targeting innocent people who are trying to follow the proper process to become a citizen.
The law enforcement escalation came just hours before Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he won't run for reelection in the midst of the unrelenting federal bombardment. In a press conference Tuesday morning, Walz called the crackdown a "ridiculous surge" that's a "show" for the cameras.
"We are under assault like no other time in our state's history, because of a petty, vile administration that doesn't care about the well-being of Minnesotans," Walz said. "What's happening today in Minnesota with all the immigration officers that are coming, it's just so unfair, separating people from their loved ones."
