Republican Talks Sense Into Democrats

Senate Majority Leader John Thune sharply criticized Minnesota’s Democratic leadership on Friday, accusing state and city officials of undermining federal immigration enforcement while crime and public safety concerns continue to dominate national headlines.

Speaking to reporters, Thune argued that local governments should be working alongside federal law enforcement—not fueling protests or political resistance against immigration operations aimed at removing criminal offenders.

“Local officials need to cooperate with federal law enforcement,” Thune said. “You can’t encourage protests and obstruction while ignoring the real objective here, which is getting dangerous criminals off the streets and making communities safer.”

Minnesota has become ground zero in the latest immigration showdown between the Trump administration and Democratic leaders. Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have both publicly called on the administration to withdraw federal immigration authorities from the state.

Their demands follow the launch of “Operation Metro Surge,” described by the Department of Homeland Security as the largest coordinated immigration enforcement effort in the agency’s history. Approximately 2,000 federal officers are expected to be deployed as part of the operation.

Tensions escalated after two Minneapolis residents were killed during encounters involving immigration enforcement earlier this month, triggering protests across the city. While Walz and Frey encouraged residents to demonstrate peacefully, critics argue their statements have emboldened anti-law-enforcement sentiment at a time when communities are already on edge.

Earlier this week, both officials met with Trump’s border enforcement chief, Tom Homan, following a phone call with Donald Trump. Walz later described the meeting as “progress” and claimed there would be continued discussions.

The governor also suggested the president was open to reducing the federal presence in Minnesota. However, just days later, Walz admitted there was no evidence that any federal agents had actually been pulled from the state.

President Trump made his position clear on Thursday, signaling that his administration has no intention of backing down or scaling back enforcement operations in Minnesota.

Thune praised the White House for engaging with state officials and credited Homan’s leadership for easing tensions on the ground. He added that cooperation—not confrontation—is the only realistic path forward.

The Senate majority leader said he hopes Minnesota officials will ultimately work with the Trump administration to restore order, enforce the law, and prioritize the safety of law-abiding citizens over political theatrics.