Conservative immigration experts split on whether Trump is ‘backing down’ in MN ICE fight

Conservative immigration experts were split on whether President Donald Trump was “backing down” after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the president told him he was considering reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota after they went into the state to enforce immigration law. 

In addition to reported plans to retreat from Minnesota, the top Border Patrol official leading deportation operations around the country, including in Minnesota, will be reassigned back to his former duties as chief of Border Patrol in the El Centro, California sector as of currently, Fox News’ Bill Melugin reported.

“If the Trump Administration accedes to Minnesota’s unreasonable, unlawful demands, it will have surrendered the rule of law to thugs and brigands. Lawlessness is a choice, and it’s not a choice that the Trump administration should make, or support in any way,” Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) Executive Director Dale Wilcox told Fox News Digital. 

“FAIR believes that Congress charged ICE with enforcing the immigration laws of the United States. And that is exactly what ICE should do. The Supreme Court has opined that the power to enforce immigration law belongs exclusively to the federal government. The mere fact that irresponsible state and local leaders in Minnesota have mistakenly led their citizens to believe that they are free to interfere with federal government operations, and have thereby incited civil unrest, is not a valid reason to keep ICE from doing its job.”

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ICE split with President Donald Trump. (Trump-Vance Transition Team, ICE)

But, Executive Director at the Center for Immigration Studies Mark Krikorian clapped back at the idea that Trump was “backing down.”  

“I didn’t think that’s what Trump is saying – rather, based on his Truth Social post, he was saying ICE won’t have to do at-large arrests if Minnesota changes its sanctuary policies and allows ICE into the jails and prisons to take custody of illegals once the locals have finished with them,” Krikorian told Fox News Digital. “That’s not ending enforcement – that’s returning enforcement to the ways it’s always been done and the way it’s being done even now in non-sanctuary jurisdictions.”

On Monday, President Trump said that “Tim Walz called [him] with the request to work together,” calling it a “very good call” in a post on his platform Truth social.

“I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession. The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future. He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!” Trump continued in his post, writing, “We have had such tremendous SUCCESS in Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana, and virtually every other place that we have ‘touched’ and, even in Minnesota, Crime is way down, but both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!”

Walz subsequently indicated that President Trump had agreed during the call to consider pulling out some federal agents from Minnesota, so long as Minnesota leaders follow federal immigration detainers and ensure criminal illegal aliens in state custody are transferred to federal officials. Trump’s reported consideration to pull ICE officials out of Minnesota comes after Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey used harsh language, and sometimes expletives, to tell ICE to “get the f— out” of their city and state.     

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers question a man about his status on Lake Street near Karmel Mall in Minnesota on Dec. 10, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Minnesota’s leaders, in particular those at the state’s Department of Corrections, have been going back-and-forth with the Trump administration over whether it adheres to federal immigration detainers for illegal immigrants caught by police committing crimes. The Trump administration has claimed Minnesota officials’ do not adhere to federal immigration detainers, leading to illegal alien criminals being released back onto the streets, but the state’s Department of Corrections has challenged that assertion, arguing it does adhere to ICE detainers.

Fox News Digital reached out to Homeland Security for comment about concerns the Trump administration was “backing down” and was referred to the White House. 

“The Trump Administration remains committed to removing the worst of the worst from American streets – including in Minnesota – and President Trump wants to work with local leaders to get public safety threats out of their communities,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Democrat leaders must stop inflaming tensions and providing sanctuary to dangerous criminal illegal aliens. The Trump Administration will always enforce the law and do what’s best for the American people.” 

Numerous congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were also contacted, asking whether they thought Trump’s potential decision to pull federal agents from Minnesota was “backing down” and whether it might embolden the left in other cities, but none returned comment in time for publication.

“If I were President Trump, I would almost think about, OK, if the mayor and governor are going put our ICE officials in harm’s way and there’s a chance of losing more innocent lives, or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide: Do we want to continue to have all of these illegals?” Rep. James Comer, R- Ky., said on Sunday.

Federal law enforcement agents detain a demonstrator during a raid in south Minneapolis, Minnesota. An Oklahoma man is charged with threatening to kill ICE agents, “MAGA Republicans” and politicians, the Justice Department said Wednesday. (Getty Images)

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Amid news of federal agents potentially pulling out of Minnesota, questions began swirling about the status of top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovion, who was tapped by the Trump administration to lead Border Patrol’s large-scale operations like the one occurring in Minnesota.

“Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As press secretary Leavitt stated from the White House podium, Gregory Bovino is a key part of the President’s team and a great American,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Monday.

But multiple federal sources confirmed to Fox News’ Bil Melugin that Bovino’s position called “Commander of at large operations” has now ended for him. He will now return to his prior duties leading border security efforts in California’s El Centro sector. 

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, will be traveling to Minnesota soon to continue the border security efforts there in place of Bovino.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.