Tim Walz is suffering in a prison of his own making
By Easton Matin | February 25, 2026
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has demanded that the federal government take financial responsibility for what he describes as significant damage caused by a massive surge in federal immigration enforcement.
The operation, known as Operation Metro Surge, reportedly involved thousands of federal agents and resulted in over 4,000 arrests throughout the state. During a press conference in St. Paul, Walz argued that the “aggressive tactics” used by federal agencies have left behind deep scars, including “generational trauma and economic ruin” for many local communities.
The Governor indicated that the state is currently tallying the total costs associated with the operation and will ask Minnesota federal lawmakers to hold the current administration accountable for these expenses. He explicitly claimed that the federal government should pay for what they broke within the state.
According to local officials, the economic impact in the Twin Cities alone has been severe, with reports suggesting that some corridors saw revenue drops of tens of millions of dollars as customers stayed home and businesses were forced to close during the height of the enforcement activity and subsequent public demonstrations.
To address the immediate fallout, Walz is backing a 10 million dollar state aid package designed to support small businesses that suffered losses during the surge.
The current economic and social turmoil is a direct consequence of his own administration’s contradictory policies. The Governor created the very environment that led to these disruptions by pushing back on federal law enforcement. Labeling the enforcement of law as something that broke the state is a deflection of responsibility, and Walz ought to be ashamed.
