Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered a stark warning to fellow municipal leaders this week, urging them to oppose federal immigration enforcement operations he claims threaten constitutional protections and public safety in America’s cities.
Speaking Thursday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, the Democratic mayor characterized the federal presence in his city as an unprecedented assault on civil liberties, cautioning that other jurisdictions could face similar circumstances if local officials remain silent.
“We are on the front lines of a very important battle, and it is important that we are not silenced,” Frey stated. “This is not a time to bend our heads in despair, or out of fear that we may be next, because if we do not speak up, if we do not step out, it will be your city that is next.”
The mayor’s remarks come amid heightened tensions between local governments and federal authorities conducting immigration enforcement operations across the country. Frey described conditions in Minneapolis as particularly severe, claiming thousands of federal agents have deployed to a city with a police force of approximately 600 officers.
According to Frey, federal operations have resulted in what he characterized as indiscriminate detentions based solely on ethnic appearance. “American citizens have been yanked away from their homes solely because they looked like they were from Mexico or Ecuador or Somalia,” the mayor asserted, arguing that constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure have been violated.
The mayor disputed any suggestion that federal intervention has improved public safety, maintaining that crime has decreased across virtually every category and neighborhood in Minneapolis. He contended that the federal presence has instead created an atmosphere of fear that undermines community stability.
“It is less safe when chaos reigns supreme,” Frey argued, suggesting that families now fear routine activities due to the enforcement operations.
Frey specifically called for the Department of Homeland Security to terminate what has been designated as Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis and to cease similar immigration enforcement activities nationwide. He framed the issue not as a matter of immigration policy, but as a question of fundamental governmental authority and civil discourse.
“This is not even about immigration. This is about silencing a narrative or a political position that differs from that of the federal administration,” the mayor stated. “We have seen this kind of conduct in other countries. We cannot see it right here in America.”
The mayor insisted his opposition transcends partisan considerations, characterizing the matter as essential to the preservation of republican governance. “This is not a Democratic or a Republican issue. Never once have I made this partisan,” Frey said. “This is a foundational principle of making sure that the endurance of our republic can continue on.”
Federal officials have defended their operations as lawful enforcement of existing immigration statutes, maintaining that targeted actions focus on individuals who have violated immigration laws or pose public safety concerns.
The confrontation between Minneapolis and federal authorities represents a broader conflict playing out in municipalities across the nation, where local officials increasingly find themselves at odds with federal enforcement priorities. The outcome of these disputes may well determine the balance of power between local and federal government for years to come.
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