Trump administration says it is ending its immigration surge in Minnesota

The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Speaking at a news conference in the city, border czar Tom Homan said coordination with local law enforcement and success of immigration enforcement have contributed to the end of Operation Metro Surge.

"I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude," he said.

The announcement comes weeks after federal authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking outrage around the nation and the world.

Homan said "a significant drawdown" will begin this week and will continue into next week. He said he will remain on the ground "for a little longer" to ensure a successful end to the operation.

On Nov. 29, the Trump administration began surging more than 3,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis, in what officials dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Homan said at a press conference last week that roughly 150 federal immigration agents were present in the city before the operation began. The city of roughly 400,000 people has a police force ofroughly 600 officers.

Homan, who is a former Obama staffer, said he is not removing all federal officers for safety reasons and that immigration enforcement will continue.

"If you're in this country illegally, you're not off the table," he said.

Immigration officers and agents have arrested 4,000 people since the operation began, the Department of Homeland Securitysaid last week. DHS did not provide a breakdown of how many of those had criminal charges. Federal authorities have arrested more than 200 people for impeding the work of law enforcement officers, Homan said Thursday.

Amid the crackdown, immigration authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens — Renee Good, 37, a mother of young children, and Alex Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse at a local Veterans Affairs hospital — in separate confrontations.

"I don't want to see any more bloodshed," Homan said. "I pray every night for the safety or law enforcement personnel and the safety of those in the community, whether you're here legally or illegally I don't want to say anybody harmed."

Authorities had already announced a drawdown of the operation in the days following Pretti's killing. Customs and Border Protection's Greg Bovino was removed from his post as commander at large and returned to his former post in El Centro, California. Homan then arrived to take control of the operation.

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Homan acknowledged those setbacks Thursday.

"As I said in my first press conference a couple weeks ago, President Trump didn't send me here because operation were being run and conducted perfectly," he said. "I came here to identify issues and implement solutions to improve our mission execution."

Homanannounced last weekthat the administration would send 700 agents home. He said the drawdown is partly a result ofcoordination between Minnesota county jails and federal immigration officials,making it easier for immigration authorities to apprehend targets.

Federal authorities alsoarrested and criminally charged several protesters last month for holding a demonstration during achurch service led by a pastor who is allegedly also an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also arrested for covering the event. Lemon's attorney said his client would plead not guilty to charges against him.

Homan insisted that ICE agents had not gone into churches or schools to make arrests. In the same breath, he emphasized that "those locations are not off the table."

He also said there would be "zero tolerance" for residents interfering with the work of immigration authorities.

"While the Trump administration supports everyone's first amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly and to petition, it has to be done lawfully and peacefully, because we will not tolerate unlawful actions committed by agitators, who are just causing havoc," he said. "This is not the way to express your disagreement or try to reform federal laws."

Instead, he said, those objecting to the administration's policies should write to their lawmakers.

Minneapolis Mayor Jaocb Frey, a Democrat,said in a series of posts on Xthat the operation "has been catastrophic for our neighbors and businesses."

"They thought they could break us, but a love for our neighbors and a resolve to endure can outlast an occupation,"he said. "These patriots of Minneapolis are showing that it's not just about resistance — standing with our neighbors is deeply American."

New polling from the NBC News Decision Desk showsthat support for the the Trump administration's immigration policies has taken a significant hit since the killings occurred last month.

Forty-nine percent of adults strongly disapprove of how Trump has handled border security and immigration, up from 38% strong disapprovallast summerand 34%in April,according to the new poll.

Trump's overall approval rating has also declined slightly to 39% in the aftermath of the crackdown.

byCosmopolite

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February 12, 2026

Trump administration says it is ending its immigration surge in Minnesota

The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Speaking at a new...

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Judge blocks Trump administration from moving former death row inmates to 'Supermax' prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hastemporarily blockedthe Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates with commuted death sentences to the nation's highest security federal prison, warning that officials cannot employ a "sham" process for deciding where to incarcerate the prisoners for the rest of their lives.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled late Wednesday that the government cannot send the former death row inmates to the "Supermax" federal prison in Florence, Colorado, because it likely would violate their Fifth Amendment rights to due process.

Kelly cited evidence that officials from the Republican administration "made it clear" to the federal Bureau of Prisons that the inmates had to be sent to ADX Florence — "administrative maximum" — to punish them because Democratic President Joe Biden had commuted their death sentences.

"At least for now, they will remain serving life sentences for their heinous crimes where they are currently imprisoned," wrote Kelly, who was nominated to the bench by President Donald Trump.

In December 2024, less than a month before Trump returned to the White House, Bidencommuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 peopleon federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment.

On his first day back in office, Trump issued an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to house the 37 inmates "in conditions consistent with the monstrosity of their crimes and the threats they pose."

Twenty of the 37 inmates are plaintiffs in the lawsuit before Kelly, who issued a preliminary injunction blocking their transfers to Florence while the lawsuit proceeds. All were incarcerated in Terre Haute, Indiana, when Biden commuted their death sentences.

Government lawyers argued that the bureau has broad authority to decide what facilities the inmates should be redesignated for after their commutations.

"BOP's designation decisions are within its exclusive purview and are intended to preserve the safety of inmates, employees, and surrounding communities,"they wrote.

The judge concluded that the inmates have not had a meaningful opportunity to challenge their redesignations because it appears the outcome of the review process was predetermined.

"But the Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty or property interest that the Due Process Clause protects — whether that person is a notorious prisoner or a law-abiding citizen — the process it provides cannot be a sham," Kelly wrote.

The Florence prison has housed some of the most notorious criminals in federal custody, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. The prison is "unmatched in its draconian conditions," the inmates' attorneys argued.

"The categorical redesignations challenged here deprived Plaintiffs of an opportunity to show why they should not be condemned to a life bereft of human contact, in a cell the size of a parking spot, where they will see nothing out the window but a strip of sky,"they wrote.

Government attorneys said other courts have held that the conditions are not objectively cruel and unusual.

"Plaintiffs fail to show that conditions at ADX are atypical for them," they wrote.

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February 12, 2026

Judge blocks Trump administration from moving former death row inmates to 'Supermax' prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge hastemporarily blockedthe Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates with commut...

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Judge orders return of Venezuelans formerly detained in El Salvador if they choose to come back

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to start allowing Venezuelans sent to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador toreturn to the United States for their immigration proceedingsif they choose to.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote in an order that it was requiring the administration to allow entry to any of the more than 130 Venezuelan men who were held for four months in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT.

"It is worth emphasizing that this situation would never have arisen had the Government simply afforded Plaintiffs their constitutional rights before initially deporting them," he wrote.

The men were sent back from El Salvador to Venezuela in July, as part of a prisoner swap between the two nations. Manyhave said they suffered physical and psychological abuse while imprisoned in CECOT.

Boasberg said the number of men who might seek to return to the U.S. "would likely be very small." Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing the plaintiffs in the case, said previously in court that there would be only a "handful" of his clients who may take them up on this offer.

The judge also ordered the government to offer a boarding letter to any plaintiff in the case who is in a third country and requests commercial air travel to the U.S. at the government's expense.

"It is unclear why Plaintiffs should bear the financial cost of their return in such an instance," he wrote.

The parties in the case agreed that anyone who wants to come back to the U.S. would immediately be detained as their immigration cases proceed.

The government is required to file a status report by March 13, inform the court as to the feasibility of returning plaintiffs still in Venezuela who wish to return for their proceedings, and describe the steps taken to obtain any passports or identification documents of the individuals.

Earlier this week,Gelernt argued in courtthat due process for the Venezuelan men would mean giving them the immediate right to return to the U.S. for a court hearing, or have remote hearings about their cases.

In December, Boasberg ruled the Trump administration should not have sent the 137 Venezuelan men to CECOT after invoking the Alien Enemies Act, finding that the men were denied due process.

He ordered the federal government to either facilitate the return of the men to the United States or otherwise follow due process and provide them with hearings. The men are now living in Venezuela or in nearby countries.

The men were sent to CECOT in March after Trumpinvoked the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law,declaring the Venezuelan gangTren de Aragua an invading force.Their removal to El Salvador cameeven as Boasberg, in a ruling at the time,blocked the deportations and ordered any flights carrying migrants subject to the presidential invocation to return to the United States.

Trump said heinvoked the AEAto target members of the gang, which the administration deems a foreign terrorist organization and accuses of engaging in "mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens."

By invoking the law, Trump was able to swiftly detain and remove immigrants he claimed were members of the gang at the time.

The men who spoke to NBC News,as well as the families of former detainees and their attorneys,strongly denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted because oftattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua.

A New York Times investigation, which relied on interviews with prosecutors and law enforcement officials as well as court documents and media reports in multiple countries, found that most of the men sent to CECOT did not have criminal records in the United States or in the region. It found at least 32 of the more than 200 men sent to CECOT, including the 137 under the Alien Enemies Act, faced serious criminal accusations or convictions in the United States or abroad. Very few of them appeared to have any documented evidence connecting them to Tren de Aragua.

Three of the Venezuelan men told NBC Newsafter their release from CECOT and return to Venezuela that they experienced physical and psychological torture, including one man's allegation that he was sexually assaulted at the prison.

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February 12, 2026

Judge orders return of Venezuelans formerly detained in El Salvador if they choose to come back

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to start allowing Venezuelans sent to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador toreturn to th...

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Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had been "colonized by immigrants", after Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined a chorus of criticism over the remarks.

Ratcliffe, one of Britain's most successful businessmen, responded to the outcry with a statement saying it was important to raise the issue of immigration, but that he regretted his "choice of language" had caused concern.

The founder of chemicals giant INEOS, and owner of nearly a third of Manchester United, had told Sky News that high migration and people living on benefits were damaging the economy.

"You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonized - it's costing too much money," Ratcliffe said in the interview aired on Wednesday.

"The UK has been colonized by immigrants, really, hasn't it?" he added.

Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch celebrates scoring his team's second goal in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield on Nov. 1. The victory ended a four-game losing streak in Premier League games for the defending champions.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri (right) and Burnley's Florentino Luis battle for possession of the ball at Turf Moor. Arsenal won the Nov. 1 match, 2-0, to stay six points above Manchester City atop the Premier League table.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Erling Haaland of Manchester City competes for a header whilst under pressure from Sepp van den Berg and Kristoffer Ajer of Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025. Man City won the match, 1-0.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

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Starmer said the remarks were wrong and would play into the hands of those who wanted to divide the country. Finance minister Rachel Reeves said the comments were "unacceptable" and "disgusting".

On Thursday, INEOS issued a statement from Ratcliffe in response to "reporting of his comments".

"I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth," he said.

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He said he wanted to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs to ensure long-term prosperity is shared by everyone, and that it was "critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK".

Starmer's spokesperson said it was right for him to apologize. Asked if an apology about offence caused rather than the comments themselves were enough, the spokesperson said questions on the detail of the apology were for Ratcliffe.

Manchester United fans furious

His comments were condemned by politicians, campaigners and by fan groups at Manchester United, including its Muslim Supporters Club who said the term "colonized" was frequently used by far-right activists to frame migrants as invaders.

"Public discourse shapes public behaviour," the group said. "When influential figures adopt language that mirrors extremist talking points, it risks legitimizing prejudice and deepening division."

Others noted that the Manchester United first team was largely made up of international players and staff, and questioned whether Ratcliffe should be commenting on British politics when he had moved to the tax haven Monaco.

Manchester United said it prided itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.

"Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home," the club said in a statement.

Before Ratcliffe's response, The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said Ratcliffe's comments were inflammatory and should be withdrawn.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jim Ratcliffe, Man U co-owner, says UK is 'colonized by immigrants'

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February 12, 2026

Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had ...

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BYU football star Parker Kingston arrested and charged with rape

A Brigham Young University star football player was arrested in connection with an alleged assault that happened last year in Utah, the Washington County Attorney's Office announced.

Parker Trent Kingston, 21, was charged with first-degree felony rape, anews releasestated on Wednesday. He is being held without bail in Washington County, in southwest Utah, and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Friday.

The county attorney's office said a 20-year-old woman reported to police at St. George's Regional Hospital that she was sexually assaulted on Feb. 23, 2025, according to the news release.

Attorney information was not listed for Kingston, and his family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The Washington County Attorney's Office takes allegations of sexual assault seriously," the news release states. "We thank the medical professionals and law enforcement officers who assisted with this investigation for their partnership and professionalism."

The woman told a forensic interviewer with the county attorney's office that she had met up with Kingston, but set clear boundaries with him and told him that she did not want to have sex, court documents state.

The woman said they watched a movie together at her home and engaged "in some sexual activity, however that did not include intercourse," the documents state. The woman said she left the room to get ready for bed and when she returned, Kingston "initiated sexual activity again" despite her telling him to stop and attempting to push him off of her, it says. The court filing alleges that Kingston raped the woman.

Kingston said in an interview that it was consensual, the document states. Investigators said that based on communications from his cell phone after the incident, "it can be inferred that he went to her apartment with the intention of having sexual intercourse," the filing states.

Kingston is a star wide receiver for Brigham Young University, NBC affiliateKSLof Salt Lake City reported.

A university spokesperson told NBC News that it learned of the incident on Wednesday.

"The university takes any allegation very seriously, and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment," the spokesperson said.

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February 12, 2026

BYU football star Parker Kingston arrested and charged with rape

A Brigham Young University star football player was arrested in connection with an alleged assault that happened last year in Utah, the Was...

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Jazz big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to miss rest of season after undergoing knee surgery just three games after trade

The Utah Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. on Feb. 3. Fewer than 10 days later, reports emerged suggesting Jackson would miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery. Jackson, 26, played in just three games with the Jazz before being shut down for the rest of the season.

The team reportedly discovered a PVNS growth on Jackson's left knee after the trade, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

A PVNS growth is a benign, but aggressive, tumor. It isn't capable of spreading, but can cause more damage the longer it remains in the body.

Jackson was in the midst of yet another strong season with the Memphis Grizzlies beforebeing traded to the Jazzprior to the deadline. Jackson is averaging 19.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He's even more valuable than those numbers, as Jackson is also considered a strong defender as a former Defensive Player of the Year winner.

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The Jazz's decision to trade for Jackson came as a surprise, considering the team's record. At 18-37, the Jazz are among the worst teams in the NBA. Utah had one major incentive for trying to get worse at the deadline, as itwould keep its 2026 first-round pickif the Jazz land in the top eight of the draft. The decision to trade for Jackson, who would help the team win more games, seemed at odds with Utah's strategy of trying to keep its 2026 pick. That's less of an issue now that Jackson will miss the rest of the season.

The convenient timing of Jackson's surgery could lead to some scrutiny from the NBA, whichfined the team $100,000last March for holding Lauri Markkanen out of a game. However, the fact that Jackson is reportedly dealing with a growth on his knee should clear the Jazz in this instance. That's not an issue Jackson should try to play through the rest of the way.

With Jackson down, the Jazz will now focus on how the team can improve ahead of next season. The Jackson trade potentially gives Utah plenty of size. Jackson, Markkanen and Walker Kessler — if he re-signs — would give the team a formidable trio in the frontcourt.

While that's a solid trio, expecting the Jazz to suddenly springboard back into contention could be a lot to ask. The Jazz have finished no higher than 12th in the Western Conference over the last three seasons. Following Jackson's injury, the team is once again in line to finish near the bottom in the West for the fourth straight year.

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February 12, 2026

Jazz big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to miss rest of season after undergoing knee surgery just three games after trade

The Utah Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. on Feb. 3. Fewer than 10 days later, reports emerged suggesting Jackson would ...

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Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis Pack on the PDA in Never-Before-Seen Photos Shared for Her 57th Birthday

Jennifer Aniston turned 57 years old on February 11, and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Jim Curtis, paid tribute to the occasion on Instagram.

The Gist

• Curtis shared two new photos of the couple, including a PDA-packed black-and-white shot.

• Aniston and Curtis went Instagram official back in November when the actress celebrated Curtis's milestone 50th birthday.

Jennifer Anistonand her boyfriendJim Curtiswent Instagram official onhis50th birthday last November, so there was no question that Curtis would return the favor when Aniston rang in her 57th birthday on February 11.

And that he did in the form ofa sweet Instagram tributeshared on Wednesday, writing, "HBD MY ❤️" alongside two new photos of them. In one, the two laugh on a boat, and in another—a black-and-white shot—the two share a romantic kiss.

Curtis spoke about his relationship with Aniston recently onToday, telling host Craig Melvin on January 26 that they had been together for about a year and had been introduced by friends. "We found out that we had mutual friends, and we started to just chat," Curtis said.

"It took a long time," he added. "We chatted for a long time, and we became close."

Jim Curtis/Instagram

A source toldPeoplerecently that Aniston "feels really good about where things are with Jim," adding, "Jen's always been fine on her own and comfortable being single, but her relationship with Jim is just different. She's very happy and comfortable."

Adding that Curtis is "so sweet and supportive" of Aniston, the insider said, "He makes her everyday life better."

Curtis, a source told the outlet, is "very laid-back, but also focused and driven" and is someone who "does things in a very calm way."

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"He brings good energy, and this is something Jen loves," the insider said. "Jen can be very Type A and takes on a lot. He's very steady and grounded. He's not a stressed out, high-intensity guy, and that balance works well for her."

"There's no drama, no emotional games, or whiplash," the source continued. "In many ways, it's the most mature relationship she's ever been in."

Back in November, as Curtis celebrated his milestone 50th birthday, Aniston wrote in her own birthday tribute, "Happy birthday my love. Cherished❤️." Though Curtis pinpointed their relationship's beginnings as right around now one year ago, Aniston and Curtis first sparked rumors of a relationship over the summer, when they were spotted in Mallorca, Spain in July alongsideJason Bateman, his wife Amanda Anka, andAmy Schumer.

"She took her time getting to know him," a source toldPeople. "She already knew she liked so many things about him before it turned romantic. She was actually a bit hesitant, because she really appreciated him as a friend and wanted to keep him around. But life is short, and her friends encouraged her to date him."

"She feels so grateful to share her life with him," the insider said. "She's enjoying every moment. And at this stage, that's enough for her. She's happy with where things are. She isn't really making big plans for the future. She's not chasing anything. She's just incredibly happy, comfortable, and proud to be dating him. And they're truly adorable together."

Aniston herself called Curtis "extraordinary" in an interview withEllelast year, adding, "He's very special, very normal, and very kind, and wants to help people heal, move through their trauma and stagnation into clarity. It's a beautiful thing to commit your life to."

Read the original article onInStyle

byCosmopolite

in

February 12, 2026

Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis Pack on the PDA in Never-Before-Seen Photos Shared for Her 57th Birthday

Jennifer Aniston turned 57 years old on February 11, and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Jim Curtis, paid tribute to the ...

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