German soccer team cancels Minnesota trip due to ICE crackdown

WASHINGTON (TNND) — A major German soccer team canceled its trip to Minnesota due to the immigration crackdown under the Trump administration.

“Playing in a city where there’s unrest and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen,” Werder Bremen’s head of communications, Christoph Pieper, said in a statement, according to Politico.

“Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements,” the statement continued.

It was reported Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been given more authority to detain refugees who don’t change their stays within a year of coming to the U.S.

Many pro-immigrant groups spoke out against this move.

It was announced earlier this month that Operation Metro Surge would wind down in Minnesota.

Multiple ICE agents were sent to Minnesota for immigration raids. However, following the deaths of demonstrators Alex Pretti and Renee Good, agents were pulled out.

“As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” White House Border Czar Homan said at a news conference.

“I have proposed and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.”

However, Homan said that a small security force will stay behind in Minnesota.