Decision follows two fatal shootings of protesters during demonstrations against federal immigration raids in Minnesota.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of federal agents from protests in Minneapolis and other Democratic-led cities, assigning responsibility for public order to state and local authorities while maintaining federal protection of government property.

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The order was announced on Saturday amid nationwide outrage over the killing of two protesters by federal immigration agents during demonstrations against immigration raids in Minneapolis. The protests were triggered by “Metro Surge,” a federal operation launched in December to arrest undocumented migrants in Minnesota, a state governed by Democrats.

“I have instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that under no circumstances will we participate in protests or riots in various poorly managed Democratic cities, unless we are asked for help,” Trump said on the social media platform Truth. He added that federal agents would continue to defend “with great firmness, all federal buildings that are being attacked by these lunatics, agitators and paid insurrectionists.”

Translation: Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of federal agents from protests in Minneapolis and other cities, transferring responsibility for security to state and local authorities. He indicated that the federal presence would be maintained only to protect government buildings.

Trump warned that any physical attacks on federal officers or vehicles would result in severe consequences. “No spitting in the face of our officers, no punching or kicking the headlights of our vehicles, and no stones or bricks thrown at our vehicles or our Patriotic Warriors will be allowed,” he said.

Local authorities and thousands of demonstrators have opposed the raids and demanded the removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from the state. During the protests, immigration agents fatally shot Renée Good and Alex Pretti, both 37-year-old U.S. citizens, generating widespread condemnation.

In response to the escalating tension, Trump replaced the operational command earlier this week and assigned border czar Tom Homan to oversee what he described as a process of “de-escalation,” while confirming that the immigration operations would continue.

Internal ICE guidance reviewed by Reuters later detailed operational changes in Minnesota. Officers were instructed to avoid engaging with “agitators” and to focus enforcement exclusively on immigrants with criminal charges or convictions, marking a shift away from broad enforcement sweeps that had sparked legal challenges and public backlash.

“DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS,” an email from a senior ICE official stated. “It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation.” The guidance added, “We are moving to targeted enforcement of aliens with a criminal history… ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS.”

The guidance followed Trump’s statement that he sought to “de-escalate” tensions in Minneapolis and St. Paul after the two killings. While administration officials initially portrayed the deceased as aggressors, video evidence later contradicted those claims.

According to Reuters, Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino, who previously led confrontational operations in several U.S. cities, was demoted and is expected to retire. ICE will now lead operations in Minnesota, with Border Patrol in a supporting role.

While the White House said discussions on enforcement strategy are ongoing and no guidance is final until formally issued, the withdrawal of federal agents from protests reflects a tactical adjustment amid sustained opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown in Democratic-led cities.

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