Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has ignited a fresh wave of controversy by rejecting cooperation with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and instead calling for the agency’s removal from the city altogether. In a January 2026 national television interview and subsequent statements, Frey asserted that peace and safety in Minneapolis cannot be achieved while federal immigration agents remain deployed, insisting that the answer to unrest is for ICE to leave.

The demand from Mayor Frey comes amid public disorder and demonstrations following “Operation Safe Streets,” the Trump administration’s targeted enforcement operation in Minneapolis. That initiative — aimed at apprehending some of the most violent and dangerous criminal aliens — has brought a significant federal presence into the city, drawing sharp rebuke from the mayor. Frey framed the deployment as an “occupation” that does not contribute to public safety but instead heightens tensions between federal authorities and local communities.}

Tensions in Minneapolis intensified after multiple shootings involving ICE agents this month, including a high-profile fatal shooting that sparked widespread protest. Federal officials have defended enforcement actions as necessary to uphold immigration law and protect communities from serious crime. In contrast, Mayor Frey has argued that the presence of thousands of federal agents has created chaos rather than safety, a message he repeated repeatedly in media appearances. :

Frey’s comments reflect broader clashes between sanctuary city leadership and the Trump administration’s immigration priorities. Rather than working with federal authorities such as ICE to remove dangerous actors from Minneapolis streets, the mayor has chosen to publicly criticize the mission, focusing his rhetoric on the federal presence itself rather than the criminal elements that the operation is intended to address.

Critics of Frey, including Republican lawmakers and public safety advocates, contend that his stance undermines law enforcement cooperation and jeopardizes community security. They argue that ICE’s role — particularly during operations targeting violent offenders — is essential to keeping dangerous individuals off the street and that local officials should be partnering with, not repudiating, federal agents who enforce immigration and criminal laws.

The ongoing protests have at times turned disruptive, occurring amid sub-zero temperatures and drawing national attention. Federal authorities have described the enforcement actions as lawful and necessary, while legal challenges have arisen over tactics used during demonstrations. Judges have intervened to temporarily restrict certain federal enforcement measures against peaceful protesters. 

As Minneapolis remains at the center of a heated national debate over immigration enforcement and public safety, the standoff between local leadership and federal authorities underscores broader policy divisions under the Trump administration. With vocal opposition from Mayor Frey to federal agents’ presence, Republican critics argue that collaboration — not conflict — is required to secure cities and protect citizens, and that local resistance only emboldens dangerous elements and erodes accountability for violent offenders.