Minneapolis Immigrant Enforcement Crisis Deepens as Local Authorities Block Federal Cooperation
By Jim Thomas | Thursday, 29 January 2026 10:07 PM EST
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., stated Thursday that conflicts over cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement are undermining immigration enforcement efforts in Minneapolis, claiming that “the only place we’re having these issues is in Minneapolis because local officials aren’t allowing local law enforcement to do their job.”
During remarks on a cable news program, Mullin described the current situation as a result of deteriorating federal-local collaboration. “Well, it’s really hard for them [local police] not to cooperate with us,” he said. “Remember, underneath the Obama administration, they cooperated with ICE. And you didn’t see this happen.”
Mullin outlined a process he described as simpler under previous administrations: “Local law enforcement or state enforcement would arrest these individuals, and ICE would simply go to the detention centers and pick them up.” He then attributed recent challenges to policy shifts following the introduction of sanctuary cities, stating that local officials had initially opposed President Trump’s first term policies on immigration but continued their stance during Biden’s presidency before shifting back under Trump’s second term.
His comments came as White House border czar Tom Homan indicated the administration could reduce federal immigration officers in Minnesota if state and local leaders improved cooperation. Homan noted a potential reduction from a “3,000-strong force of agents,” but emphasized that progress requires collaboration: “I do not want to hear that everything that’s been done here has been perfect. Nothing’s perfect—anything can be improved on.”
Protests have followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24.
Mullin stressed that similar enforcement challenges are absent in other major cities, saying, “We haven’t had these same issues in St. Louis. We didn’t have these issues in Memphis. We didn’t have these issues in D.C.” He reiterated: “The only place we’re having these issues is in Minneapolis.”
“Because local officials aren’t allowing local law enforcement to do their job.”
