ICE Shifts to 'Quieter' Enforcement Approach After Minnesota Surge Backlash

NPR and MPR News reported on April 4 that the federal government is shifting away from the high-profile enforcement show of force seen during the Minnesota Operation Metro Surge toward a quieter, less visible approach that relies more on local police through expanded 287(g) partnerships. The shift follows a February poll showing two-thirds of Americans felt ICE had 'gone too far,' and came after Operation Metro Surge killed two U.S. citizens and prompted widespread protests. ICE's national detention population had dropped to 60,311 as of April 4 — down from more than 70,000 at the peak of Operation Metro Surge in January. The new strategy involves routing enforcement through local sheriff's departments with 287(g) agreements rather than large-scale federal deployments. In 2025 alone, more than 1,100 new 287(g) agreements were signed.