Senators react to ending immigration crackdown in Minnesota

Описание: (12 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
 
++BEGINS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++
 
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington – 12 February 2026
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D) Connecticut:
“The reduction in the numbers of agents in Minneapolis, the so-called elimination of the surge, in no way changes the tactics which the American people are demanding be reformed. The violence and brutality, including killing people has to be totally stopped and the American people are demanding fundamental and far-reaching reforms that we are insisting be a condition of funding for DHS and I think that's a pretty unified stand for Democrats. It should be for Republicans. If Republicans are unwilling to accept reforms and DHS shuts down as a result, they have to explain to the American people why they are imposing this burden, simply as a result of demands by the American people for reforms in the way this out-of-control agency needs to be reined in.”
++BLACK FRAMES++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri:
(Reporter: In general though how do you feel about the fact that Mr. Homan has said that they're drawing things down in Minnesota now, things are ramping down. Do you think that's in response to everything that's happened there over the past three months?)
“You know, I defer to them in terms of the pace of their law enforcement operation, what they want to accomplish and what they feel like they've gotten done. So if he thinks, and the president thinks, that they've accomplished what they need to, then they're the best judges of that. I will just say, listen, I'm in favor of deportation of criminals, particularly violent criminals, and so that's got to be done in a way that is effective, hopefully a way we'll work with the local law enforcement because we really need their partnership. That's part of what we're talking about today, but I defer to them ultimately.”
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
 
STORYLINE:
The Trump administration is ending the immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to thousands of arrests, violent protests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens over the past two months, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.
 
The operation called the Department of Homeland Security’s “largest immigration enforcement operation ever” has been a flashpoint in the debate over President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts, flaring up after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal officers in Minneapolis.
 
On Capitol Hill on Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, (D) Connecticut said, the ending of the surge doesn’t change law enforcement’s tactics.
 
“The violence and brutality, including killing people has to be totally stopped and the American people are demanding fundamental and far-reaching reforms that we are insisting be a condition of funding for DHS and I think that's a pretty unified stand for Democrats. It should be for Republicans,” Blumenthal said.
 
Sen. Josh Hawley, (R) Missouri says its up to the president.
 
“So if he thinks, the president thinks, that they've accomplished what they need to, then they're the best judges of that. I will just say, listen, I'm in favor of deportation of criminals, particularly violent criminals, and so that's got to be done in a way that is effective, hopefully a way we'll work with the local law enforcement because we really need their partnership,” Hawley said.
 
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul area resulted in more than 4,000 arrests, Homan said, touting it as a success.
 
The operation in the state began Dec. 1.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...