Shortly after six in the morning on Monday, Brian Kilmeade, one of the most well-known hosts on the Fox network and host of Fox & Friends, President Donald Trump's favorite show, made a suggestion. After the chaos over the weekend in Minneapolis following the death of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents, Kilmeade said: "What I would do is bring in Tom Homan", referring to Trump's 'border czar'. A heavyweight in the Administration, with many years of experience in deportations and known for his firmness. Kilmeade, fully aware that the president usually watches the program, repeated the idea at 7:15 and for a third time at 8:10. Half an hour later, the President of the United States announced that he had decided to send Homan to Minnesota to replace Gregory Bovino, who has fallen out of favor.
Homan does not have an easy mission: to calm the situation, lower the tensions, deal with the protests, and restore ties with local and state authorities. But above all, to continue with the White House's instructions, which have no intention of backing down on their crusade against immigrants, as seen in the last 48 hours. They continue to act the same, with a judge reporting up to 100 violations of court orders so far in 2026. "If you are in the country illegally, you are not exempt from being deported; you will never be safe", he warned on Thursday. "Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries, but for criminals."
After two days of private meetings, the 'border czar' appeared on Thursday morning to face the public. "I did not come to Minnesota to take pictures, that's why you haven't seen me until now", he began his speech. In it, he showed the most conciliatory side of the Administration so far, urging to "abandon the rhetoric of hate and hostility" of recent months; defending the citizens' right to protest and demonstrate, enshrined in the First Amendment; asking for everything to be done peacefully; warning that there will be consequences for agents who do not follow the rules, applying "conduct protocols"; and emphasizing Trump's explicit instructions. "The President, one of the things he told me when I came here, is that he does not want anyone to die... I also do not want anyone to die, not even the people we are looking for. We do not want anyone to die," Homan insisted.
His message is that the Administration will focus on its initial goal, that of "pursuing criminals," that they will be much more careful in their approach, and that they are willing to reduce the number of agents deployed on the streets. Since late 2025, ICE or the Border Patrol have mobilized over 3,000 agents, a huge number for a city like Minneapolis, which has less than half a million inhabitants and just over 600 police officers. "There will be a reduction in forces in the state, based on discussions with local authorities," Homan stated after meeting with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the mayors of St. Paul and Minneapolis. "The reduction will be carried out according to these agreements, but it could be even greater if the hate rhetoric, impediments, and interferences cease," he added.
CNN reported on Thursday that the Trump Administration has circulated a draft memorandum this week on possible new guidelines for federal agents in Minnesota, including plans to avoid interacting with "agitators" and focusing solely on immigrants facing charges or criminal convictions. Homan, speaking to the press, acknowledged mistakes and pointed in that direction: "It cannot be said that it has been perfect". "President Trump and I, along with other people in the Government, have recognized that certain improvements are needed, and they will be made. That is exactly what I am doing here," he acknowledged. Homan has years of experience in that role, dating back to the years of Barack Obama. He knows how to deport millions of people, but without the chaos seen in recent months in some cities governed by Democrats.
He has assured that from now on they will work in a more focused manner. More on criminals and less on the streets. "More in jails and prisons, and less in street operations" that have been heavily criticized for their brutal and widespread tactics. "We are not giving up on our mission at all, we are just going to do it smarter (...) All operations will be aimed at specific targets, but the priority will be undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds, threats to public safety, and threats to national security. We have many cases that will keep us busy. But if you are in the country illegally, you are not exempt from being deported; you will never be safe," he added.
Homan has linked each step to cooperation with authorities. Some of the state's major cities are "sanctuaries," meaning they have legislation expressly prohibiting cooperation with immigration agencies for the deportation of individuals without proper documentation. But Homan stated that the state's Attorney General, Keith Ellison, told him that county jails "could notify ICE of the release dates" of individuals who pose "risks to public safety" with criminal backgrounds, so that ICE can detain them.