Border czar Tom Homan told anti-ICE agitators to give up on roadblocks Wednesday. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Homan made the statement minutes after announcing a drawdown of federal presence in the Twin Cities, saying 700 federal agents would be withdrawing from the area.
Homan highlighted meetings he had with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, urging them all to allow local jails to communicate with federal law enforcement about when they planned to release illegal immigrants being detained there.
"We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets. Unprecedented cooperation," Homan said Wednesday. "I'll say it again: This is efficient, and it requires only one or two officers to assume custody of a criminal alien target, rather than eight or 10 officers going into the community and arresting that public safety threat."
TRUMP HAS 'VERY GOOD' CALL WITH MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR FREY, ANNOUNCES BORDER CZAR HOMAN MEETING
Residents barricade the 3300 block of Portland Avenue in Minneapolis. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
"Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of less need for law enforcement officers to do this work in a safer environment, I have announced immediately we will draw down 700 people effective today," he said.
Homan went on to note that federal authorities are not requiring jails to hold illegal migrants beyond their normal release time.
"We're not asking anyone to be an immigration officer," he said.
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Walz expressed support for the drawdown soon after it was announced on Wednesday, but he said more needs to be done.
"Today's announcement is a step in the right direction, but we need a faster and larger drawdown of forces, state-led investigations into the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and an end to this campaign of retribution," Walz wrote on X.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on X: @Hagstrom_Anders.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/border-czar-tom-homan-calls-anti-ice-roadblocks-minneapolis-joke-after-police-chief-disbands-them