Consider This from NPR

Episode: Will a new leader for ICE operations quiet tensions in Minnesota?
Date: January 28, 2026
Host: Scott Detrow
Guest: Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks the Trump administration's decision to replace Greg Bevino with Tom Homan as head of a controversial ICE operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Following deadly violence linked to ICE actions and mounting public outcry, questions arise: Will this shift in leadership ease tensions, or signal even more hardline immigration enforcement? Journalist Caitlin Dickerson, who has closely tracked Homan's career, joins Scott Detrow to assess what’s at stake.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Context: Rising Tensions and Deadly Consequences

• President Trump initially struck a conciliatory tone with Minneapolis officials, but quickly escalated rhetoric after Mayor Frey declined to enforce federal immigration mandates.
• The ongoing ICE operation has led to two American citizens’ deaths, fueling public anxiety and national debate.
• Tom Homan, known for his longstanding and controversial role in immigration enforcement, has been dispatched to Minnesota as a "border czar" to purportedly de-escalate the situation.
  [00:00–02:45]

Notable Quote:

"The president posted on his social media site that the mayor is, quote, all caps 'playing with fire.'"
—Scott Detrow (00:15)

Homan vs. Bevino: What Changes?

Background Differences

• Greg Bevino hailed from the Border Patrol, with limited media experience and a narrower enforcement focus.
• Tom Homan is a seasoned ICE leader, comfortable with the national press and with extensive experience overseeing interior immigration enforcement, often involving American citizens.

The ICE Difference

"It's an entirely different beast when you're carrying out arrests in American cities, when you're interacting with American citizens... That is stuff Homan is intimately familiar with."
—Caitlin Dickerson (02:59)

[02:45–04:13]

Is Homan a De-escalator?

Track Record & Public Persona

• Despite being framed by the administration as a potential "moderating figure," Dickerson pushes back:
• Homan architected the first Trump administration’s family separation policy, recognized as one of the era’s most controversial and harsh.
• He initially took pride in and defended this policy.

On Moderation:

"Hard for me to see it that way, Scott, because I've spent years reporting on Tom Homan. ... One of, if not the most controversial and aggressive enforcement policies of that entire administration. And Tom Homan was the architect of it."
—Caitlin Dickerson (04:29)

On Shifting Tone:

• During the current campaign, Homan began to distance himself from family separation, despite the public record of his strong support.

"I did notice that during President Trump's most recent campaign, Homan did try to start to back away from family separations a little bit, which was confusing ... But I think he did understand that it was an unpopular policy."
—Caitlin Dickerson (05:58)

[04:13–06:41]

Homan’s Financial Dealings and the “Revolving Door”

• Dickerson details the common practice of top Homeland Security officials entering the lucrative private detention industry after government service.
• Homan established a consulting firm, facilitating multi-million dollar federal contracts with private prisons and contractors.
• While Homan boasted about brokering these deals, specifics remain undisclosed.

Noteworthy Incident:

• Homan was the subject of an undercover FBI bribery sting where agents allegedly offered him $50,000, which the DOJ ultimately closed without charges. The White House labeled it "entrapment," but Dickerson is skeptical.

"Accepting a bag with $50,000 in cash is something that I think even a very new law enforcement officer knows is untoward and likely to raise questions about ethics, if not be outright illegal."
—Caitlin Dickerson (08:50)

[06:41–09:45]

The Second Trump Administration: Even More Hardline

• Detrow notes the administration is notably more extreme in its approach to immigration than in the first term, with less internal dissent or policy pullback.
• Dickerson suggests Homan's value is his ability to seem like an ally to a wide range of actors, from immigration hardliners to advocates and private industry.

Dual Reputation:

"As much as he is an enforcement hardliner ... he was also someone in the Obama administration, for example, who people ... felt they could go to. ... Also saw Homan as an ally. ... He's also a very skilled politician. I think those two things together are why he's in the position he is now."
—Caitlin Dickerson (10:12)

[09:45–11:22]

Outlook for Minneapolis and the Broader Political Landscape

• With Homan taking direct orders from President Trump and advisor Stephen Miller, his actions will reflect the administration’s hardline stance, though Dickerson notes the internal political calculus may shift if public opinion turns sharply against current policies.
• Dickerson draws parallels to the rapid backlash and eventual repudiation of family separation, with even Republican senators breaking ranks.

"It does seem to be in question because the administration is seeing how much trouble listening to Miller has gotten them in when it comes to public opinion, that is."
—Caitlin Dickerson (11:41)

[11:22–12:15]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• "The city refuses to enforce federal immigration laws."
  —Scott Detrow (00:16)

• "Tom Homan was the architect of [family separation]. He admitted this to me in interviews."
  —Caitlin Dickerson (04:34)

• "He’s an enforcement hardliner … but he was also someone [advocates] felt they could go to. … He’s also a very skilled politician."
  —Caitlin Dickerson (10:12)

• "I consistently heard that he was always really good at making everybody feel like he was their ally."
  —Caitlin Dickerson (10:12)

Conclusion

This episode of Consider This offers a critical look at what Tom Homan’s appointment means for Minneapolis and the national immigration debate. Despite official statements portraying the move as “de-escalatory,” expert reporting from Caitlin Dickerson suggests it may signal reinforcement of hardline policies with a more experienced—and politically deft—figure at the helm. The trajectory of the operation will be closely tied to reactions from the public, local officials, and internal Trump administration politics.

For Further Listening:

• Listen to extended reporting on ICE operations, immigration policy, and national political developments through NPR’s related podcasts and news coverage.