Corey Lewandowski draws scrutiny over Minnesota ICE operation

Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has emerged at the center of an uproar over a federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, where two American citizens were killed by federal agents in the past month. Mr. Lewandowski and Ms. Noem met with President Trump on Monday for nearly two hours as the administration faced pressure to ease federal immigration agents' tactics.

People inside the Department of Homeland Security and at Immigration and Customs Enforcement have expressed frustration about Mr. Lewandowski's influence. A U.S. official said directions at ICE were coming from Mr. Lewandowski and that nothing got done at the agency without his blessing; an anonymous D.H.S.

official said he was known as someone willing to fire anyone perceived as getting in his way. A spokeswoman for the department did not respond to questions about Mr. Lewandowski and instead pointed to what she called 'ICE's remarkable results.' Mr. Lewandowski's return to a senior role fits a long pattern of controversy and comeback in Mr.

Trump's orbit. He led the early 2015 campaign with the mantra 'Let Trump be Trump,' served as campaign manager before being fired in June 2016, then returned as a cable commentator and informal adviser.