US President Donald Trump has deployed his border tsar Tom Homan to lead on-the-ground immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, after two US citizens were shot dead by federal agents in the city in less than a month.
The White House has said Homan, who arrived in Minneapolis on Tuesday, will now be the main point of contact on the ground and will meet with city officials.
It comes as Gregory Bovino, the US border patrol chief, is expected to leave Minneapolis along with some of his agents due to controversy surrounding their tactics.
Homan, 64, views himself as a key Trump ally and has decades of experience in immigration policy across both Democratic and Republican administrations.
A native of upstate New York, Homan began his law enforcement career as a police officer before joining border patrol in 1984 in Southern California. He has since climbed the ranks of US immigration enforcement, heading the Enforcement and Removal Operations arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Obama administration.
Despite planning to retire in 2017, Homan was reappointed by Trump and recently returned to active duty under the current administration.
While border tsar is an informal title, it signifies a significant role in overseeing immigration policy across multiple agencies. Homan's appointment is seen as an attempt to address rising public concerns about immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
He has publicly defended Trump's deportation goals, vowing to target the worst of the worst while recognizing that current immigration enforcement practices may inadvertently affect individuals with no criminal records, a situation Homan regards as tied to sanctuary cities.
Homan's outspoken nature and previous defense of controversial policies, including family separation, have led some immigrant advocates to express doubt about any real change resulting from his leadership shift.
In contrast, Bovino, known for his aggressive tactics, faced backlash for his operational methods in various cities, including protests against his strategies in Minneapolis.
While observers believe the White House's decision reflects a need for change, there are concerns that the fundamental approach to immigration enforcement may remain unchanged under Homan's leadership.
