ICE officers in Minnesota have been issued new internal guidance directing them to avoid interacting with “agitators,” use megaphones to announce each step of an arrest, and target only immigrants with a criminal history, according to a directive reviewed by Reuters after backlash over two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
The memo, circulated Wednesday per Daily Beast, tells U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to focus operations on immigrants who have criminal charges or convictions and to steer clear of confrontation with protesters during enforcement actions, Reuters reported. The directive also calls for officers to “verbalize every step of the arrest process” using megaphones, a change intended to reduce confusion and tension during street operations.
The guidance marks a shift away from the broader approach used in recent weeks as the Trump administration expanded immigration enforcement across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and other cities, Reuters reported.
The new rules follow the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, both U.S. citizens killed in separate encounters involving federal immigration officers this month in Minneapolis. Their deaths fueled large protests and drew intensified attention to how federal agents conduct arrests, particularly around demonstrations and public spaces.
Reuters reported that the memo instructs officers to avoid unnecessary interactions with protesters and to give commands through megaphones rather than engage in close contact. The guidance allows officers to run license plate checks for potential targets and, if the registered owner is an immigrant with a criminal history, to arrest that person, Reuters said. The memo does not spell out specific steps officers should take if commands are ignored, according to Reuters.
President Donald Trump has said his administration intends to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota following the two deaths, while continuing immigration enforcement. As part of the reset, Trump appointed White House border czar Tom Homan to take charge of the federal effort in the state and reduced the public role of Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, Reuters reported. Reuters also reported that Bovino has been demoted from his Minnesota leadership assignment.
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Homan has described the shift as a move toward “targeted” enforcement and said ICE would concentrate on arrests of people with criminal records while working more closely with local officials, Reuters reported. He suggested the federal deployment could be reduced if cooperation increases, according to Reuters.
The Daily Beast reported that the internal memo reflects a major change in tactics, with agents told to avoid “agitators,” focus on immigrants with criminal histories, and narrate arrests step by step through megaphones.
The directive also signals a narrower mission for Border Patrol personnel in Minnesota, shifting them into a support function rather than leading street operations, Reuters reported.
ICE has not publicly released the memo. The changes come as the administration faces continued protests, legal challenges and political pressure over enforcement methods, while insisting it will keep pursuing immigration arrests in the region under the revised guidance.
