Homan Addresses Minneapolis Deportation Operation Fallout, Affirms Continued Mass Removals

PHOENIX — Tom Homan, President Trump's border czar, conceded that things weren't perfect during the large-scale immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis, known as Operation Metro Surge. In an exclusive interview with CBS News on Tuesday at the annual Border Security Expo, Homan stated, "Things weren't perfect. We addressed it.

We fixed it," when pressed on whether the administration made mistakes and went too far. S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good, events that drew intense, bipartisan backlash.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who is set to leave the agency later this month. "I've had the discussions with Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

He agrees. We can have mass deportations, but do it in a smarter way, which we're doing," Homan said. Government investigations into the fatal shootings of Pretti and Good remain ongoing, and Homan declined to comment further on them.

S. " @CBSNews reported these statements as part of Homan's reflections on the operation's fallout. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has prioritized targeted operations focused on arresting people with criminal records who are in the country illegally.

Since the Minneapolis operation was scaled back, Border Patrol agents have not been making immigration stops at parking lots and public places. Still, immigration agents continue arresting people they find during operations if they are in the country illegally, even if they lack criminal histories and were not original targets.

Homan rejected suggestions that the Trump administration is softening its stance on mass deportations.

In a recent interview, retired Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who led immigration sweeps in Minneapolis and other major cities, suggested the administration is backing down from its mass deportation promise and criticized the shift as a softer approach.

Bovino was relieved of his command following Alex Pretti's killing and retired from Border Patrol in March. Homan disagreed with Bovino's characterization, calling the changes a smarter approach.

"He's wrong. He's wrong," Homan said. "Numbers prove it. Look at the numbers. Look at the numbers of arrests and removals in the past year, and you give me one year we've done more. " ICE and CBP have collectively carried out roughly 800,000 deportations since President Trump returned to the White House.

Homan said no when asked if the American public should expect large-scale, aggressive immigration crackdowns similar to the Minneapolis campaign. Mass operations will continue, especially in cities with sanctuary policies that limit local cooperation with ICE. Homan framed the current efforts as a response to what he described as a historic illegal immigration crisis over the previous four years.

"So what's required now?