Democrat Mayor Refusing To Abolish ICE?
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Wednesday that he does not support eliminating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even as he sharply criticized how the agency is operating under President Donald Trump.
Frey made the remarks during an appearance on Fox & Friends, where co-host Griff Jenkins questioned him about rising tensions in Minneapolis following a fatal incident involving an ICE officer during a recent enforcement operation. The incident has led to protests across the Twin Cities and in other major U.S. cities.
“I’m not in favor of doing away with ICE,” Frey responded. “That said, I strongly disagree with the way the administration is handling the agency’s operations right now.”
When Jenkins pressed Frey on whether Minnesota’s newly filed lawsuit seeks to halt ICE activity entirely, the mayor pushed back, saying critics were mischaracterizing the case.
“That’s not what the lawsuit says,” Frey responded. “People should actually read it.”
Frey argued that the dispute centers on what he described as an unusually large federal presence in the city. According to the mayor, roughly 3,000 federal immigration and border agents are currently operating in and around Minneapolis, compared with about 600 local police officers. He claimed the imbalance has placed significant strain on local resources.
On Tuesday, Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s expanded ICE deployment in the state. Ellison argued that federal agents lacked sufficient justification for the surge and cited the recent shooting as part of his reasoning.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare the ICE expansion unlawful and to block its continuation. It also claims the federal government is infringing on state authority under the First and Tenth Amendments.
Frey drew additional attention after sending a heated message to ICE leadership following the incident, telling federal agents to leave Minneapolis. The comment quickly circulated online and drew criticism from law-enforcement supporters.
Public opinion on ICE remains sharply divided. A recent Economist/YouGov survey found that 46 percent of respondents favor abolishing ICE, while 43 percent oppose dismantling the agency. Thirty-five percent said they strongly support eliminating ICE, while others expressed more moderate views.
Despite the controversy, ICE has expanded significantly under President Trump. The agency became the most heavily funded federal law-enforcement body following passage of a Republican-backed tax and budget package signed into law last July.
The legislation — described by the president as a “one big, beautiful bill” — allocated tens of billions of dollars for new detention facilities, transportation, and additional personnel. According to the American Immigration Council, the funding levels could support expanded detention operations through at least 2029.
As the legal challenge moves forward, the clash between Democratic state leaders and the Trump administration highlights a broader national debate over border security, federal authority, and public safety — issues that remain central to voters heading into the next election cycle.
