Displaying items by tag: agents withdrawn

Donald Trump has said he personally decided to withdraw hundreds of federal law enforcement agents from Minneapolis, following huge protests after Alex Pretti was shot on 24 January (see ). About 700 agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are set to leave the Twin Cities, with the goal of ‘a full drawdown’. Trump said the move was tied to negotiations over the release of detained prisoners and took credit for falling crime rates in Minnesota, even though there have been accusations that federal agents violated constitutional rights through aggressive tactics. Minnesota governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey have both criticised the operations, while Trump suggested that in future DHS might need to use a ‘softer touch’ alongside firmness. The episode highlights deep national divisions over immigration, public safety, accountability, and the appropriate use of federal power.