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Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons appeared on Newsmax’s Carl Higbie FRONTLINE to defend Operation Metro Surge and lay out a plainspoken law-and-order case for federal action in Minneapolis. Lyons made it clear ICE views its job as removing criminal and fraudulent actors who exploit our immigration system and endanger neighborhoods, and he stressed the agency is prepared to act if temporary protections are terminated. His remarks come amid a broader federal push to restore basic enforcement where local leaders have stepped back.
The operation itself began in early December and, according to ICE and DHS briefings, has resulted in a series of arrests of individuals the agency says have serious criminal histories. Federal releases and local reporting put the number of detentions in the teens, with ICE describing multiple arrestees as dangerous offenders and placing several names into their public enforcement listings. Conservatives who have watched our cities decay for years welcome a federal agency finally doing the job it was created to do.
ICE has not been shy about labeling some arrestees the “worst of the worst,” and federal notices have named suspects tied to gang activity, theft rings, and even sexual offenses. The agency highlighted specific individuals during the operation, aiming to show Minneapolis residents that this is targeted enforcement against criminal elements, not scattershot harassment. If local officials object, they should at least acknowledge why federal action became necessary in the first place.
Of course, the predictable left-wing chorus rose up immediately — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the operation “chaotic” and Minnesota’s governor demanded answers after reports some citizens were temporarily detained while agents worked neighborhoods. Community groups and some local media say the number of people detained is higher than federal tallies; lawsuits have already been filed by several detainees challenging their arrests and treatment. Americans can respect civil rights while still demanding that dangerous, deportable criminals be removed from our streets.
Here’s the conservative point nobody in the mainstream media wants to say loud enough: when local leadership refuses to protect communities, federal law enforcement must step into the breach. For years, Minneapolis has been a case study in what happens when progressive ideology trumps basic public safety; Operation Metro Surge is a necessary corrective, not a partisan stunt. If our cities are to be safe for working families, officials must back the rule of law rather than shielding those who flout it.
Acting Director Lyons also emphasized that ICE will focus on those who exploit asylum and temporary-protected-status programs through fraud, and that the agency stands ready to remove individuals who lose legal protections. Conservatives should applaud that clarity and demand follow-through — not perfunctory press conferences from politicians who squeal when the enforcement shoe finally drops. The message must be simple: enforcement, accountability, and protection of American communities come first.
