Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says metropolis ‘invaded’ by ICE as report of Pentagon readying active-duty troopers readying for deployment | EUROtoday

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey mentioned his metropolis is being “invaded” by the federal authorities amid studies that 1,500 active-duty troopers had been being readied for deployment to Minnesota and President Donald Trump’s threats of invoking the Insurrection Act to quell protests.

“I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government,” the Democratic mayor told CNN Sunday. “They’ve got 3,000 or so ICE agents and Border Patrol. That they are now talking about deploying 1,500 military– this is, well it’s ridiculous.”

Protests have continued for a second week in Minneapolis after Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot dead in her car by an ICE agent. Trump administration officials, including the president, have defended the agent’s conduct, claiming that his life was at risk.

In the wake of Good’s shooting, several thousand more ICE and Border Patrol agents have been deployed to the city. Some 1,500 active-duty soldiers are also reportedly preparing for possible deployment in Minnesota, The Washington Post citing defense officials, reported late Saturday.

“This act was clearly designed to intimidate the people of Minneapolis. Here’s the thing, we are not going to be intimidated,” Frey said.

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“The best way to get safety is not to have an influx of even more agents and in this case, military, to Minneapolis,” he continued.

Frey, and the state’s Democratic governor, Tim Walz, are reportedly facing a Department of Justice investigation for allegedly obstructing the efforts of federal immigration authorities in the state, according to the Associated Press.

Frey told CNN Sunday that both he and Walz had not been officially informed.

“We haven’t obtained something. I’m not conscious of particular allegations. But if it had been true, the concentrating on could be the product could be of performing one of the vital fundamental duties and obligations I’ve as Mayor which is to talk on behalf of our nice metropolis,” he mentioned.

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Minnesota has been the goal of ramped-up immigration enforcement for the reason that begin of the yr following studies of an alleged fraud ring involving day-cares, typically operated by Somali-Americans, that has been seized on by Trump and his MAGA allies.

The White House has cracked down on visa functions, terminated Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, and brokers are going “door-to-door” in search of undocumented immigrants, based on some Minnesota officers.

The Department of Homeland Security mentioned greater than 2,500 arrests have taken place.

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Trump responded to the persevering with protests and resistance from Minnesota officers, who’ve sued to cease the federal legislation enforcement surge, in a put up on Truth Social Sunday.

“ICE is removing some of the most violent criminals in the World from our Country, and bring them back home, where they belong. Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers to be ensconced in their community?” he wrote. “The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists. Is this really what Minnesota wants?”