In a powerful address to the US Conference of Mayors in Washington DC, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a stark warning to his fellow municipal leaders, urging them to vocally oppose the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics or risk seeing their own cities targeted next.
A Call to Action Against Federal Overreach
Speaking at the 94th winter meeting of the US Conference of Mayors, Frey received resounding applause as he condemned what he described as an "invasion" of his city by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The mayor accused the administration of pursuing a "might makes right" philosophy, which he directly linked to Stephen Miller, President Trump's influential deputy chief of staff and a key architect of the administration's hardline immigration policies.
Context of Recent Tragedies
Frey's impassioned speech came just five days after the fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by two immigration agents. This incident followed another tragic death on January 7th, when local resident Renee Nicole Good was killed by an agent. The mayor has been outspoken for weeks against what has been termed "Operation Metro Surge," a deployment of between 3,000 and 4,000 federal agents into the city.
"I didn't take this job to get into the business of defending democracy," Frey told the assembled mayors. "I did it because being a mayor has always been my dream job. But we are on the front lines of a very important battle, and it's important that we aren't silenced."
The Impact on Community Safety
Frey argued that contrary to claims of enhancing security, the ICE deployments have actually made Minneapolis less safe. He pointed to previously falling crime figures and described how the presence of federal agents has created an atmosphere of fear and instability.
"It is less safe when families do not feel comfortable going to school or buying food at the grocery store because they're worried that their very family might get ripped apart," Frey stated. "It is less safe when we have roving bands of agents marching down the street just looking for somebody who might be concerned. I got to tell you, everybody is concerned when you have that kind of occupation."
Specific Incidents and Allegations
The mayor detailed several concerning outcomes of the ICE operations, including the detention of school children—among them a five-year-old boy named Liam Ramos who was sent to a Texas facility with his father. Frey also mentioned high-profile clashes with US citizens, including one incident where a woman was violently pulled from her car after a verbal altercation while trying to reach a doctor's appointment.
Frey accused agents of targeting individuals based on perceived ethnic backgrounds—specifically mentioning Somalian, Latino, and Asian communities—and suggested that the operation's true purpose extended beyond immigration enforcement to silencing dissenting opinions and narratives.
Challenging the 'Might Makes Right' Philosophy
In one of his most pointed criticisms, Frey directly challenged Stephen Miller's reported advocacy of what he called "the iron law of the world that might makes right."
"Stephen Miller is wrong," Frey declared to applause. "Time and again, America has rejected this notion that might makes right."
A Rallying Cry for Municipal Leaders
Frey concluded with a direct appeal to his fellow mayors, framing the issue as a fundamental test of democratic principles and local autonomy.
"This is not a time to bend our heads in despair or out of fear that we may be next," he urged. "Because if we do not speak up, if we do not step out, it will be your city that is next. We do not back down to bullies. We stand up for democracy."
The mayor's remarks highlight the growing tension between some municipal governments and federal immigration authorities, positioning mayors as crucial defenders of local sovereignty and democratic values in the face of what they perceive as federal overreach.
