Minneapolis Mayor Criticizes Federal Immigration Operations as 'Occupying Force'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has strongly criticized the recent deployment of federal agents to the city, describing them as an "occupying force that has quite literally invaded our city."

The federal government has dispatched approximately 3,000 agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol to Minneapolis as part of an intensified immigration enforcement operation. This surge follows the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer earlier this month, an incident that has sparked widespread protests and heightened tensions in the community.

In response to the federal presence, Mayor Frey stated, "If the goal were safety, this is not how you get there," emphasizing that the influx of agents is "not making our city safer." He further suggested that the solution to the current unrest is for the federal agents to depart.

The Department of Homeland Security has also placed 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division on standby in Alaska for potential deployment to Minneapolis. This move has raised concerns about the possible invocation of the Insurrection Act, which would allow the use of active-duty military personnel for domestic law enforcement.

The situation continues to evolve as local and federal authorities navigate the complex dynamics of immigration enforcement, public safety, and community relations in Minneapolis.