Trump defends Minneapolis federal enforcement, says crime plunged after ‘thousands of criminals’ removed

President Donald Trump is defending federal law enforcement efforts in Minneapolis, saying crime has fallen sharply after what he described as the removal of “thousands of criminals” from the city.

In an interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas that aired Sunday, Trump said crime in Minneapolis is down as much as 30%, attributing the decline to tougher enforcement.

“The crime numbers in Minnesota, in Minneapolis in particular, are down 25, 30% because we’ve removed thousands of criminals from the area,” Trump said. “These are hardened criminals… Most of them came in through an open border, and we’ve done a great job.”

Operation Metro Surge has sent thousands of immigration agents to Minneapolis and St. Paul, leading to thousands of arrests while also sparking resident resistance and public outrage.

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President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 2, 2026.  (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

Trump pointed to other major cities where he said his administration has delivered dramatic results when it comes to crime.

“Look at Washington, D.C.,” Trump said. “It’s like a safe city. You can walk to the White House. You don’t have to take an armored vehicle.”

The president also cited New Orleans, and Memphis, Tennessee, as examples.

“Look at what happened in Louisiana,” Trump said. “I got a call from the governor, ‘Please do something with New Orleans.’ We went there four weeks ago, crime is down 71%.”

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A federal agent prepares to depart the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on Feb. 4, 2026 in Minneapolis. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“[In] Memphis, Tennessee, crime is down 80% after five weeks.”

Trump said the trend reflects the success of his administration’s tough-on-crime approach.

“Crime, historically in this country, it’s down [to] the lowest level it’s ever been,” Trump said. “… We’ve had less murders than we have had in decades. And you know why? Because we’re tough on crime.”

Earlier this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said murders in major U.S. cities plunged to their lowest level since at least 1900 as federal arrests, gang takedowns and deportations surged under Trump’s promise to “restore law and order.”

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 Border Czar Tom Homan visits ‘Varney & Co.’ on Fox Business Network on January 13, 2026, in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Trump also told NBC News that he made the decision to pull hundreds of federal law enforcement agents from Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of two city residents last month, saying the Department of Homeland Security could “use a little bit of a softer touch.”

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On Wednesday, White House border czar Tom Homan announced that roughly 700 federal agents would be leaving the Twin Cities, with the goal of a “complete drawdown.”

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch, Ashley Oliver and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.