Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey published a polished video conversation with La Raza radio in which he criticized ICE, promised sanctuary-style protections, and reassured Latino residents they can safely call 911 because the Minneapolis Police Department does not perform immigration enforcement. In the clip he embraced a man on camera and said, "You're brave and you're tough," mixing Spanish with translated remarks. The post followed reports of a federal probe into whether Frey impeded law enforcement, prompting criticism from opponents who cite roughly 1,360 ignored ICE detainers.
Mayor Frey Releases Polished Video With La Raza, Assures Latino Residents: "You're Brave and You're Tough"
Frey assured listeners that the Minneapolis Police Department does not do immigration enforcement.(Getty Images)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey published a highly produced social media video Wednesday in which he sat down with La Raza, a local Latino radio outlet, to criticize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pledge sanctuary-style protections and position himself as a defender of immigrant residents.
Speaking directly to La Raza listeners, Frey said, "Let me tell you very clearly: I am proud to have you in our city, to call you my neighbor, to call you my family. We don't back down when it comes to helping our family. You all make our city a better place."
Reassurance About Police and 911
Frey emphasized that members of the Latino community "can feel safe calling 911, because the Minneapolis Police Department does not do immigration enforcement work," adding that the department's role is to keep people safe. He framed the city's approach as protective rather than punitive, promising to stand with immigrant communities against what he described as harmful federal enforcement practices.
The video was posted less than a day after a federal probe was launched into his alleged impeding of law enforcement efforts.
Gestures of Solidarity
The video includes a brief physical gesture of solidarity: Frey hugged a man sitting beside him and told him, "You've got a lot of people that care about you. You're brave and you're tough." At one point Frey took the man's hand and put his arm around him during the taped conversation. Frey opened the clip speaking in Spanish and at times used his phone to translate portions of the discussion.
Context: Federal Probe and Political Backlash
The clip was posted less than a day after Frey publicly responded to reports that federal prosecutors had opened a probe into whether he impeded law enforcement efforts. In posts on X, Frey criticized what he described as federal "weaponization" of power against local leaders and said he would continue defending Minneapolis' values and protecting residents.
Republican critics have seized on the episode, accusing Frey of ignoring roughly 1,360 ICE detainers for criminal suspects. Frey rejected such attacks in his statements, arguing that local leaders ought to prioritize community trust and public safety.
"We shouldn’t live in a country where federal law enforcement is used to play politics or crack down on local voices they disagree with," Frey wrote, adding, "In Minneapolis, we won't be afraid."
The video and related posts underscore an ongoing tension between local officials seeking to protect immigrant communities and federal agencies focused on immigration enforcement. Frey framed his message as both a reassurance to Latino residents and a rebuke of aggressive federal tactics he says harm families and community safety.
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