President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is “playing with fire” after Frey said the city will not enforce federal immigration laws, escalating a showdown over local cooperation with the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
“Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, ‘Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.’ This is after having had a very good conversation with him,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!” Trump added.
The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911. pic.twitter.com/4RKo3mmOW2
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) January 28, 2026
Frey said Tuesday he delivered the message directly to White House border czar Tom Homan, who met with state and city officials amid mounting backlash to federal operations in the Twin Cities.
“I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers,” Frey wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
“I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe,” he continued.
I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) January 27, 2026
Homan has described his meetings with Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as “productive,” as the administration seeks to sustain enforcement operations while tamping down political and street-level tensions.
The dispute comes after two U.S. citizens — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — were fatally shot in Minneapolis during encounters involving federal immigration personnel this month, fueling protests and renewed scrutiny of operational tactics and accountability.
