DHS Spending Surges in 'Sanctuary Cities'

Costs for federal immigration operations in Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles reach hundreds of millions

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has spent over $409 billion on immigration enforcement since its creation in 2023, with recent surges in 'sanctuary cities' like Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles costing hundreds of millions more. Calculating the exact costs is difficult due to a lack of transparency from DHS, but estimates show the operations have cost taxpayers tens of millions per week in each city. The spending has sparked outrage from local officials and communities, who say the operations are politically motivated and have caused significant economic damage.

Why it matters

The high costs of these federal immigration enforcement operations in major cities have become a point of contention, with local leaders accusing the Trump administration of using taxpayer money for political theater rather than public safety. The lack of transparency from DHS has made it challenging to hold the agency accountable and understand the true impact on local communities.

The details

In Minneapolis, the 'Operation Metro Surge' was estimated to cost $18 million per week, including $9 million in salaries, $4.5 million in lodging and meals, and $1.6 million in migrant detention. The operation also resulted in a $203 million hit to the local economy. In Chicago, a two-month surge dubbed 'Operation Midway Blitz' cost at least $59 million, with the highest costs coming from sending migrants to ICE detention centers ($30.96 million) and deploying the National Guard ($19 million). In Los Angeles, the initial federal immigration enforcement operation in June 2025 cost the state's taxpayers nearly $120 million, according to the governor's office.

  • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2023.
  • President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration began in 2025.
  • The Minneapolis 'Operation Metro Surge' took place in early 2026.
  • The Chicago 'Operation Midway Blitz' occurred from October to December 2025.
  • The Los Angeles federal immigration enforcement operation began in June 2025.

The players

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Nayna Gupta

Policy director at the American Immigration Council, who has criticized the lack of transparency from DHS regarding the costs of these operations.

Aaron Rosenthal

Research director at the North Star Policy nonprofit, which calculated the $18 million per week cost for the Minneapolis 'Operation Metro Surge'.

Gavin Newsom

Governor of California, who said the federal immigration enforcement operation in Los Angeles cost the state's taxpayers nearly $120 million.

Karen Bass

Mayor of Los Angeles, who opposed the federal immigration enforcement operation in the city.

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What they’re saying

“There's no question that the American people deserve a full accounting of what this operation has done and what the, if any, benefits have been. And that should really be used to inform what immigration policy looks like moving forward.”

— Aaron Rosenthal, Research director, North Star Policy (NewsNation)

“Let us not forget what this political theater is costing us all — millions of taxpayer dollars down the drain, an atrophy to the readiness of guardsmembers across the nation and unnecessary hardships to the families supporting those troops.”

— Gavin Newsom, Governor of California (NewsNation)

What’s next

DHS officials have indicated that federal immigration agents will maintain a presence in these cities even as the high-profile enforcement operations scale back, raising concerns about ongoing costs and the impact on local communities.

The takeaway

The hundreds of millions spent by DHS on immigration enforcement operations in 'sanctuary cities' has become a major point of contention, with local leaders accusing the Trump administration of using taxpayer money for political purposes rather than public safety. The lack of transparency from DHS has made it difficult to hold the agency accountable and understand the true impact on communities.