WATCH: Minnesota officials, federal immigration leaders testify before Senate Homeland panel

The immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to mass detentions, protests and two deaths is coming to an end, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee is holding a hearing Thursday of Minnesota officials, as well as the leaders of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at 9 a.m. EST. Watch in our video player above.

"As a result of our efforts here Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals," Homan said at a news conference.

WATCH: Border czar Tom Homan holds news conference in Minneapolis

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched Operation Metro Surge on Dec. 1.

Federal authorities say the sweeps focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area have led to the arrest of more than 4,000 people. While the Trump administration has called those arrested "dangerous criminal illegal aliens," many people with no criminal records, including children and U.S. citizens, have also been detained.

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say President Donald Trump has "gone too far" in sending federal immigration agents into U.S. cities, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

Sen. Rand Paul says ICE must restore public trust

The Republican Kentucky senator says he called an oversight hearing to evaluate "the facts" around immigration enforcement in Minnesota and across the country.

Paul said during his opening statement that any time an American citizen is killed is a "tragedy" but made clear that filming government officials in a free society is a "constitutional right" and not "an act of aggression."

Paul criticized what he called a "rush to judgment" after the shootings and said while he supports Immigration and Customs Enforcement that they had work to do to "restore public trust."

Minnesota's attorney general says still no cooperation with feds on investigations into shootings

Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2026. Photo by Kent Nishimura/ Reuters

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says it's highly unusual for the state to be shut out of investigations of shootings like they have in the aftermath of the deaths of two Americans.

WATCH: Immigration officials defend officers and tactics as public backlash grows

Ellison is appearing at a Senate hearing to look at immigration enforcement in the state.

He was asked by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan about what type of cooperation the state has had with the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department on investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

POLL: Nearly two-thirds of Americans say ICE has gone too far in immigration crackdown

"We haven't had any cooperation up until now which is really unusual," Ellison said.

Peters also asked whether the federal government was stonewalling the state and Ellison agreed.

Sen. Lankford announces to panel the end of 'Metro Surge' in Minnesota

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., interact during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Feb. 12, 2026. Photo by Kent Nishimura/ Reuters

At the beginning of a Senate hearing on immigration enforcement in Minnesota, the state's Attorney General, Keith Ellison, asked for an end to the enforcement surge in his state, saying "it's already gone too far."

At the same time in Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan was announcing that it was ending.

But that news didn't make it into the senate hearing for roughly an hour.

At that point, Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford told the panel about Homan's announcement, saying it was probably news that those on the panel hadn't heard yet.

People attending congressional hearings, members of Congress and their staff usually have access to their phones so they can keep up with fast-changing news while hearings are going on. But witnesses giving testimony usually don't look at their phones during the hearings.

Fiery exchanges between Republicans and Ellison at Senate hearing

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., questions Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Feb. 12, 2026. Photo by Kent Nishimura/ Reuters

Republican senators sparred with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a tense hearing over immigration enforcement in the state.

Ron Johnson of Wisconsin drilled in over the role of activists in protesting immigration enforcement in Minnesota, suggesting Minnesota officials were essentially encouraging them while Josh Hawley of Missouri hammered Ellison over fraud investigations in the state.

At one point, Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio attacked Ellison as a "low caliber" witness.

"A tragedy was going to happen. And you encouraged it," Johnson yelled.

Ellison replied: "Are you asking me for comment, Senator? Because everything you said was untrue."

Video of Pretti killing is shown in front of CBP chief at Senate hearing

In a slow, moment-by-moment analysis, Sen. Rand Paul showed a video of the death of Alex Pretti during a hearing on the Minnesota immigration enforcement operation.

Paul along with the ranking member Gary Peters of Michigan frequently stopped the video to ask questions of Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott.

At one point, Paul stopped the video and said he didn't see "any resistance" from Pretti. Scott argued that Pretti was "not complying. He's not following any guidance. He's fighting back nonstop."

"Everything was retreat," Paul said, saying he didn't even see a "hint" of aggression on Pretti's part.

"I don't think that's de-escalatory," Paul said, of the officers' actions in the video.

Lyons defends use of administrative warrants to enter homes

The acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is defending the use of warrants signed just by an ICE officer and not an independent judge to forcibly enter a home to make an arrest.

The Associated Press reported last month that ICE was asserting sweeping power through the use of administrative warrants in its enforcement operations.

Administrative warrants have historically have not been sufficient to overcome Fourth Amendment protections that guard against illegal searches.

Todd Lyons argued there is case law in Minnesota which allows officers to enter a home to catch a fugitive using only an administrative warrant. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut disputed that.

Blumenthal, who compared the ICE administrative warrants to a permission slip, said they aren't enough to overcome Constitutional protections.