White House border czar announces withdrawal of 700 federal officers from US Minnesota

WASHINGTON -- White House border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday the Trump administration will draw down 700 federal law enforcement officers from the US state of Minnesota "effective immediately."

The announcement follows "unprecedented cooperation" between the federal government and state and local authorities, Homan said at a press conference.

After the withdrawal, around 2,000 federal agents will remain in the state, with most concentrated in the Twin Cities area — the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, according to Homan.

"More officers taking custody of criminal aliens directly from the jails, means less officers on the street doing criminal operations," he said. "This is smart law enforcement, not less law enforcement."

After the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis in January, Homan was sent by US President Donald Trump to Minnesota to be in charge of the field operation there.

At a press conference Thursday, Homan already said that he planned to "draw down" the number of federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, depending on cooperation with state and local officials.