The Trump administration plans to withdraw 700 federal immigration agents from the state of Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan announced Wednesday, in a move reducing a deployment that has drawn nationwide controversy.

"Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need of less law enforcement officers to do this work in a safer environment, I am announcing that effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people," he said at a news conference in Minneapolis.

Homan said the administration had also moved "immediately" to prioritize full body camera deployment in the city.

Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and shootings by federal immigration agents have taken place for more than a month across the Midwestern state.

Demonstrations escalated and spread nationwide following the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, by immigration officers on Jan. 24 and the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three.

The Pretti shooting heightened tensions as local and state leaders demanded independent investigations and questioned federal cooperation with authorities.

President Donald Trump told NBC News on Wednesday that he personally decided to scale back the federal immigration enforcement presence.

"Yes, it did," Trump said when asked if the decision came from him.

"But it didn't come from me because I just wanted to do it. We have — we are waiting for them to release prisoners. Give us the murderers that they're holding, and all of the bad people, drug dealers, all of the bad people," he added.

- 'Like a drop in the bucket'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Homan's announcement affirms that the real solution to ICE is never going to come from the executive branch.

“Let's be very clear, Homan's announcement is not close to enough. Seven hundred officers is going to be like a drop in the bucket to the people of Minneapolis, as over 2,000 agents, representing 70% of agents, will still be on the streets, brutalizing citizens, abusing citizens, abusing people," he said from the Senate floor.

Calling on the agents to leave the city, he urged legislation, and "not executive fiat subject to the whims of Donald Trump."

"Democrats have been clear about what Congress needs to do to end ICE's violence and ensure public safety.

"ICE needs to end roving patrols, follow basic standards of accountability and end the secret police who are masked and unidentified. These are reasonable demands," Schumer added.

He said the wounds of the nation "will not heal until the terrible abuses of ICE are reined in." (AA)

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