Minnesota DOC Pushes Back on DHS Claims About ICE Detainers
Minnesota Department of Corrections officials are disputing claims from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the state has failed to honor ICE detainers. State officials say DHS figures mischaracterize Minnesota’s prison system and who is actually in DOC custody.
Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) officials are pushing back against claims made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which allege that the state has failed to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers. The dispute follows accusations from the Trump administration that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have been “actively organizing” resistance to ICE operations.
The response comes after recent DHS statements asserting that Minnesota is currently holding 1,360 non-U.S. citizens in state custody, including individuals described as “violent criminal illegal aliens,” and that nearly 470 people without legal immigration status have been released back into communities since President Donald Trump took office. State corrections officials say those claims misrepresent both how Minnesota’s prison system operates and who is actually in its custody.
In a press release, the Minnesota Department of Corrections disputed the DHS statements, saying they do not align with department records or with the structure of the state’s correctional system. According to DOC data, Minnesota’s total state prison population is approximately 8,000 individuals. Of those, 207, less than 3%, are non-U.S. citizens.
In 2025, the DOC released 84 individuals who had ICE detainers. In each instance, corrections officials say ICE was notified in advance and department staff coordinated with federal authorities to facilitate custody transfers when requested.
Corrections officials argue that DHS’s public claims are misleading because they blur the distinction between state prisons, county jails, and federal immigration custody systems, each of which operates under different authorities.
The Minnesota DOC oversees state prisons, which house individuals convicted of felony offenses and sentenced to more than one year. The department does not have jurisdiction over county jails, which are run by local sheriffs and typically hold individuals serving short-term sentences or awaiting trial.
Officials said many of the individuals cited by DHS and referenced in media reporting as examples of people allegedly “released” from custody were never housed in state prison. Instead, they were held in county jails, under ICE-only custody, or in correctional systems operated by other states.
Minnesota law requires the DOC to notify ICE when an individual in DOC custody is not a U.S. citizen, a requirement corrections officials say the department complies with. ICE then issues a detainer and is responsible for arranging pickup once the individual is released from state custody.
“The Minnesota Department of Corrections has always coordinated with ICE agents when individuals in our custody have detainers and will continue to do so,” said DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell. “Public safety depends on facts, not fear. When federal agencies make claims that are demonstrably false, it undermines trust and disrespects the dedicated professionals who work every day to keep Minnesotans safe.”
Corrections officials said the department reviewed cases cited by DHS and found that many involved individuals who were never under DOC authority. In some cases, officials said, individuals were already in state prison custody when ICE requested transfers.
The dispute comes amid a heightened political climate surrounding immigration enforcement, with federal officials criticizing state and local leaders in Minnesota for what they describe as “resistance to ICE operations.” DHS statements have framed Minnesota as failing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Beyond rejecting the federal claims, the Minnesota DOC characterized DHS’s public statements as “categorically false, unsupported by facts, and deeply irresponsible.” Officials reiterated that the department honors all federal and local detainers, including those issued by ICE.
The DOC also said DHS has not identified which jurisdictions, correctional systems, or timeframes were used to produce its claims. Officials emphasized that the figures released by DHS do not align with DOC records or Minnesota’s prison system, reiterating that the department’s jurisdiction is limited to individuals in state prison custody and does not extend to county jails or federal immigration detention facilities.
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student