14:43 GMT
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DC
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption,
Homan is considered a close ally of President Trump and a vocal defender of his deportation goals
Some in Washington are likely to hear Homan’s remarks as a subtle repudiation of the aggressive tactics that characterised Greg Bovino’s tenure in Minneapolis – and more broadly that of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The “targeted” operations he was referring to are direct ones, aimed at specific individuals, rather than mass sweeps aimed at nobody in particular.
That isn’t to say that Homan is a moderate. He is, however, seen by people close to the Trump administration as someone who can work with state and local officials to prioritise public safety threats, and, the White House hopes, lower the public temperature.
In his frequent appearances at the White House since the beginning of the administration, Homan has repeatedly said that any undocumented migrants caught up in “targeted enforcement” will also be processed for immigration violations.
He repeated that again today, a fact which is unlikely to endear him to activists or immigration advocates, many of whom vividly remember his previous stance on family operations.
For the White House, however, his presence in Minneapolis will be seen as a steady, experienced hand coming to solve both a law enforcement issue and a public relations one.