Editors note: The quotes from Council Members depicted below were all from emails sent to constituents from their official City email accounts this week.
The tragedies of January 2026 have left Minneapolis reeling. The fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents were a gut punch to this city, igniting a firestorm that has turned our streets into a national battleground. There is no question that federal oversight is broken and that “Operation Metro Surge” has been a catastrophic overreach.
But as the City Council’s Committee of the Whole meets this Tuesday, February 17, it’s clear that some members have decided the best response to a house fire is to abolish the fire department.
The resolution proposed by Council Members Chavez, Chowdhury, Wonsley, Chughtai, Osman, Stevenson and Council President Payne doesn’t just call for reform; it demands a total halt to all federal funding and enforcement related to ICE and CBP. It is a reckless, ideological suicide pact that would leave Minneapolis legally isolated, fiscally bankrupt, and physically less safe.
The “Funding” Fallacy
The Council’s demand to “halt federal funding” is a classic example of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. In 2026, Minneapolis is already struggling with a police staffing crisis and a $2 billion budget under immense strain.
Federal grants provide millions for everything from emergency preparedness to infrastructure and victim services. By declaring war on the Department of Homeland Security, the Council is inviting the White House to follow through on its threat to suspend all federal funding to non-cooperative jurisdictions. For the common-sense taxpayer, this is a nightmare scenario: higher property taxes to cover the gap left by a Council that prefers “resistance” to resources.
A National Flashpoint for Chaos
The impacts of this resolution extend far beyond Hennepin County. As we write this, the federal government is staring down a partial DHS shutdown at midnight on February 14. Why? Because Minneapolis has become the flashpoint.
By demanding the “abolition” of enforcement, our City Council is providing the ultimate ammunition to those in Washington who want to cast Minneapolis as a lawless “sovereign city.” We are no longer just debating local policy; we are participating in a constitutional crisis that threatens to paralyze the nation’s security apparatus.
The Blunt Reality: When you demand an end to “all immigration enforcement,” you aren’t just protecting peaceful neighbors. You are also demanding that the federal government stop tracking the cartels moving fentanyl through our transit hubs and the human traffickers operating in the shadows of our wards. Is the Council prepared to take over those investigations with a police force that is already 119 officers short?
The Missing Middle Ground
The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti demand accountability—not the abandonment of the rule of law. Common-sense governance would focus on the “Qualified Immunity Abolition Act” or demanding body cameras and stricter codes of conduct for federal agents. Those are serious policy goals.
Instead, our Council has chosen the “Abolish ICE” slogan. This rhetoric treats ICE as the only villain while ignoring the 4,000 arrests made during the surge—many of which targeted violent offenders who have no legal right to be in our neighborhoods. If the Council succeeds in halting enforcement, they won’t be “liberating” Minneapolis; they will be making it a sanctuary for the very predators who exploit the most vulnerable among us.
Governance, Not Guerrilla Warfare
Minneapolis cannot afford to be a laboratory for radical social experiments. The “silent majority” of our residents—those who are tired of being the national poster child for civic instability—deserve leaders who prioritize street lights over slogans and safety over symbolism.
The City Council must reject this resolution. They should work with Governor Walz and Mayor Frey on a responsible “drawdown” of federal presence, not a total abdication of the city’s legal obligations. It’s time to stop the performative posturing and start the hard, boring work of running a city.
It’s always a head scratcher to me when the local politicians think that they are in charge of federal law or policy. Next thing you know, they’ll think they can influence a war 6000 miles away…
You presented as fact that there were actually “4,000 arrests made during the surge—many of which targeted violent offenders” but failed to offer any evidence of the actual number of arrests and, more importantly, that ‘many of which’ were violent offenders. Quoting other ‘news’ reports including DHS reports that are not linked to actual arrest records are not facts.
It appears that charges have been dropped in the very widely publicized arrest and shooting of two Venezuelans. Will there be charges brought against the shooter? It’s been reported that the agents involved have been suspended, but will they be charged for the crime of shooting someone through a door and then lying about it?
I expect that when the final accounting is complete the cost per actual arrest and conviction or deportation of violent offenders is going to be staggeringly high.
I fear the “Silent Majority” is no longer the majority in Minneapolis, and the new consensus, anything but silent, is bent on tearing it all down. And the city’s economic and social infrastructures are already so weakened that it might not take much effort.
We’re all aware that ICE, and DHS for that matter, are very recent inventions right? They were created in the wake of 9/11 to ostensibly find terrorists in our midst. Instead it was used, in conjunction with the Patriot act, to erode all of our privacy and hunt down Muslim people for the crime of being Muslim.
In the past we had the INS under the purview of the DOJ to handle immigration enforcement. ICE/DHS are decidedly not being used to find terrorists in our midst. They are being weaponized to target marginalized communities and the legal observers that are doing their best during this onslaught. So explain to me whats so bad about going back to immigration enforcement under the INS and seriously abolishing ICE nd crippling DHS?
INS doesn’t exist any more. When the Department of Homeland Security was formed post 9/11 INS was disbanded in 2003, and it’s duties reassigned to multiple departments within DHS. So, we can’t go back: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/immigration-and-naturalization-service and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Immigration_and_Naturalization_Service
I forgot to address “crippling DHS.” So you’re advocating crippling the Department of Homeland Security? Are you sure about that? DHS is responsible for anti-terrorism, civil defense, immigration and customs, border control, cybersecurity, transportation security, maritime security and sea rescue, and the mitigation of weapons of mass destruction. You know, like the CIA, FBI, Coast Guard, etc.
How would that work?
We can always go back to previous enforcement. DHS was spun up to deal with terrorists and quickly shifted their purview to immigration enforcement (which was not their mandate). I’m saying that we overcorrected after 9/11 and we are not safer for it. I think its actually a big problem that DHS is involved with so many things. Remember that the agents that shot Good and Pretti were “seasoned” DHS agents, not untrained ICE. Do you feel safer with DHS around?
Also just a fun bit, did you say DHS works on mitigation of “weapons of mass destruction”? Is it 2002 that we’re still falling for that line?
Ha ha, good one. Well, “weapons of mass destruction” is part of their mission. That’s all I have…
Such a time as this requires cooler heads. This council needs to take a page out of the observers and protestor handbook. We need law enforcement of all types to keep the City safe and we need all opinions and reasoning to move forward. This is a time for healing and seeing how you can help the marginalized and the people who stood up and out to help those in most need. Turning back funding and making laws that benefit the few isn’t the answer and cripples the goal. look ahead not behind. This can’t be another George Floyd, you failed to listen to community and business partners and healing happened without you.
What a crying shame that the local elections went the way they did in Nov…for City Council.
As we rather expected, CM Osman, in exchange for being made VP on the Council, will now join up to get to seven votes for this performative, counter productive, ABOLISH, DSA show.
Mayor Frey will likely have to veto this, for the health and well being of the City AND State, as we have seen him have to do many times before. Then Frey, the grown up in the room, and as he joins up with the other six grown ups on the Council, may still be disrespected and attacked by this voting block on the council, THESE seven, regardless of what he and our City has been through, or what is left to do on this long road ahead of us, in trying to recover.
So, what a waste for Mpls, once again, to suck up time and resources, like this, to be THAT City Council, and at such a pivotal time in US history, to be of absolutely NO VALUE to our representatives and allies in Washington, in this strategic fight to preserve democracy.
*This voting block, the Wonsley seven, never really got on the Council to be in the business, or do the hard work, of thoughtful and effective governance. They are on the payroll, all on our dime, for something else, entirely.
In the New York Times piece Frey covered all.
“The Minnesota Democrat on the battle between his city and the federal government.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/magazine/jacob-frey-interview.html?unlocked_article_code=1.I1A.Dsk-.hz7ijo_Bncw6&smid=em-share
Below Frey’s response to the “Abolish ICE” question..
Excerpt…. ” But unless the argument is that we should get rid of immigration law entirely, which I do not agree with, then you do need some mechanism to enforce. You obviously need to change the personnel and the conduct, which has been egregious. But outside of that, do I favor just getting rid of all immigration and customs enforcement? No, I don’t.”
Thanks for the quote from Frey. The left-edge didn’t learn the election losing lessons from the Defund the Police movement, so here we go again.
This group on the City Council, the seven, is NOT going to care about how their actions impact the city and our state, and other states as well, with particular concern on our mid term elections.
Locally, they should be rolling up their sleeves now, with the first order of business being giving Mayor Frey, our staff, AND the MPD their due, by acknowledging the depth of reform efforts these last six years, as clearly observed during these very challenging last two months. But, we are not likely see any of that from them.
Strib piece out today..
After ‘bad tactics’ of federal agents, local law enforcement regarded in a new light
https://www.startribune.com/after-bad-tactics-of-federal-agents-local-law-enforcement-regarded-in-a-new-light/601577404?utm_source=email?utm_source=gift_email
Excerpt..
Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette said fewer federal agents in town means there’s “less potential for something bad to happen.”
Their presence forced the city — and local officers — to navigate a complex, unprecedented situation. MPD approached highly emotional situations with compassion, Barnette said, evidence that years of training and de-escalation efforts have paid off.
“They’ve treated people with dignity,” he said. “I think what you’ve seen from the federal law enforcement agents is the opposite of that
Reading this clear and well informed article gives me hope that some reasoned and fair minded thinking still exists in this city. The gist of my commentary here is that Minneapolis government, educational institutions and corporate culture are all captive to an ideology of contempt for this nation and the majority of its citizens. Until the GOP begins to make grassroots inroads with voters in this town, we will all be subject to the corruption, excess governmental bureaucracy, and crazed and sanctimonious rhetoric – that is now STANDARD. I will not return to the DFL party as it is currently functioning. We need to hear a positive message from the GOP in Mpls that champions smaller, effective government services, high performing schools in inner-city neighberhoods, and active and jargon-free help for all small businesses. Progressives have successfully cleared the playing field of meaningful opposition. We need conservative political advocates who can articulate a hope-filled vision that is is antithetical to the defeatism of the left.