Following a December 2025 immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, social media posts circulated highlighting the state’s estimated population of people living in the U.S. without legal status. Posts claimed about 130,000 unauthorized immigrants reside in Minnesota, compared with 2.1 million in Texas and 1.6 million in Florida, Snopes reports. 

The statistics, based on 2023 data published by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center in 2025, were largely accurate but did not reflect 2026 totals. Pew estimates rely on the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and have been widely used alongside figures from the Department of Homeland Security and the Center for Migration Studies. Percentages of total state populations are 2.2% in Minnesota, 6.6% in Texas, and 6.9% in Florida.

Some posts suggested the figures highlighted political targeting, noting Minnesota’s Democratic lean versus Texas and Florida’s Republican histories. DHS did not respond to questions about the focus on Minnesota but cited apprehensions of people suspected of violent crimes.

Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem posted that local officials “refuse to protect their own people and instead protect criminals,” referring to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Experts note that estimates of unauthorized immigrants are inherently uncertain due to underreporting and methodological differences between sources.

Read more at Snopes.