President Trump warned Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday that he is “playing with fire” after the local leader said his city does not enforce federal immigration laws.
Mr. Trump took exception on social media, pointing to productive calls with Mr. Frey and other Minnesota leaders in the wake of the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“This is after having had a very good conversation with him,” Mr. Trump wrote of Mr. Frey. “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!”
ICE operations in Minneapolis and a backlash among locals have led to chaos in the city and disputes over who is to blame. Two citizens who protested ICE, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by officers, heaping pressure on Mr. Trump and his team.
Mr. Trump dismissed Greg Bovino from leading the ICE operation and sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to oversee things.
Mr. Frey said he spoke to Mr. Homan.
“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,” Mr. Frey wrote on 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.”
Mr. Trump took exception to the mayor’s reluctance to cooperate with federal enforcement. For years, he’s said that so-called sanctuary cities and states that do not assist federal immigration authorities have put U.S. citizens and officers at risk.
