In a recent interview with KSTP, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed deep skepticism following the White House announcement that 700 federal agents would be withdrawn from Minnesota. Responding to the claims of a “drawdown,” Frey told KSTP, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” signaling a profound lack of trust between city leadership and the federal government.
Despite the announcement by White House Border Czar Tom Homan that 700 agents would be removed due to “unprecedented cooperation” and a “safer environment,” Frey remains unconvinced. He suggested that the rhetoric coming from Washington often fails to match the reality on the ground, where residents continue to see masked, heavily armed agents in their neighborhoods.
Frey also pushed back against Homan’s narrative of collaboration. While the federal government has characterized the drawdown as a result of improved local cooperation, Frey and other state officials have criticized the federal government for “hiding facts” and excluding the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) from investigations into fatal shootings by agents.
The promised drawdown of 700 personnel is intended to “reset” the immigration enforcement effort in the Twin Cities. Homan stated the reduction was possible because the city is now a “safer environment,” but Frey’s comments to KSTP suggest the city views the federal surge itself as the primary source of instability. Watch the full interview below:
