By Brad Brooks and Steve Gorman MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - U.S. border czar Tom Homan, newly installed as commander of President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis, planned to address the media on Thursday amid mixed messaging and an apparent shift in both tactics and focus of the deportation drive.

A Minnesota federal judge also ordered qualifying refugees to be released from custody.

Attorney General Pam Bondi described the protesters as "rioters" and said they allegedly assaulted federal law enforcement.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has publicly backed the decision to send President Trump's "border czar" to Minnesota, following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents. Trump announced earlier today on Truth Social that he would send Tom Homan to Minnesota.

Trump told ABC News in an exclusive interview that operations will continue.

"Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible," Trump told Fox News on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump is contacting lawmakers and "urging them not to shut down the government," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC.

President Donald Trump is taking a more conciliatory approach with Democratic leaders in Minnesota. This change follows the second fatal shooting there by federal agents this month.

President Donald Trump called ABC News "fake news" after a reporter from the network asked about the latest Minneapolis shooting involving a federal agent.