Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he expected the federal immigration crackdown by the United States President Donald Trump's administration in his state may end within days on Tuesday, after conversations with Trump administration officials.
Trump's crackdown has faced criticism from local officials and human rights groups over what they say is a violation of due process and legal rights.
Minnesota has also seen large-scale protests after federal immigration officers last month fatally shot US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The videos of the shootings sparked outrage across the country.
Walz said he spoke on Monday with Trump's border czar Tom Homan, and on Tuesday with the Republican leader's chief of staff Susie Wiles.
"Minnesota has asked that this surge of folks leave. I spoke with Tom Homan yesterday. I spoke with Susie Wiles, the president's chief of staff this morning," Walz said in a press briefing.
"We're very much in a 'trust but verify' mode. But it's my expectation - and we will hear more from them I think in the next day or so - that we are talking days, not weeks and months, of this occupation," he said.
ICE's winter crackdown
The Department of Homeland Security, of which the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is a part, referred questions to the White House, which did not respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration deployed about 3,000 federal immigration agents in Minnesota by the end of January and Homan said last week about 700 would be withdrawn.
"It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they're bringing (it) down and they're bringing (it) down in days. That would be my expectation," Walz said..