Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that any Florida official who "acts like" Minnesota leaders in resisting federal immigration enforcement could be removed from office. He stressed Florida's legal requirement for state and local agencies to cooperate with ICE and DHS and criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for refusing transfers of detainees. DeSantis also condemned what he described as organized protest efforts that sabotage enforcement, and he called for reviews and accountability after two fatal shootings by federal agents while urging empathy for officers operating under threat.
DeSantis: Florida Will Remove Officials Who 'Act Like' Jacob Frey, Citing Mandatory ICE Cooperation
Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents who plan their escape after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Boulevard in Bell, Calif., June 19, 2025.(Getty Images)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Fox News that any Florida elected official who "acts like" Minnesota leaders during federal immigration enforcement efforts could be removed from office. He emphasized a state requirement that all state and local law enforcement agencies cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, left, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Florida's Requirement for Federal Cooperation
DeSantis said the directive was necessary because responses vary across jurisdictions. "We have some sheriffs that would be gung-ho to do this. We've got some cities, some mayors who would not want to do it," he told host Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle. He added, "If you act like Jacob Frey in Florida, then you get removed from your position."
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino during a news conference on immigration enforcement operations underway in the Twin Cities metro area, Operation Metro Surge, Jan. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis.
Criticism of Minnesota Leaders
The governor contrasted Florida's approach with what he described as resistance from Democratic leaders in Minnesota, naming Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. DeSantis accused those officials of declining to cooperate with federal immigration authorities even when individuals are in custody, saying that a criminal detainee could remain in a local jail rather than be transferred to DHS for removal.
A card with images of Renee Good and Alex Pretti among flowers and other mementos at a memorial in Minneapolis Jan. 27, 2026.
“You will literally have a criminal alien sitting in jail in Minnesota for violating their own laws, and they still don't want to cooperate and send that person to DHS so that they can be removed,” DeSantis said.
Protests, Oversight and Recent Personnel Changes
Echoing other Republicans, DeSantis said some street protests in Minneapolis are orchestrated and funded, and he accused politicians of encouraging efforts that amount to sabotage of law enforcement. He noted that tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota Democrats eased somewhat after Tom Homan was appointed as a federal "border czar," replacing Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino.
Fatal Shootings and Calls for Review
DeSantis acknowledged that federal immigration enforcement tactics deserve review following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both killed by federal agents. He urged high standards and careful reviews in individual cases, saying officers should be held accountable when warranted but asking the public to consider the dangers agents face in the field.
“In these individual instances, which are tragic, we should insist on high standards for these officers, and they should do a review. And if they need to be held accountable, they should do it — but understand what they're facing. They're facing threats,” he said. "It’s a difficult assignment, and I just think you should have some sympathy for what they're having to deal with, even if you want to insist on the accountability, which we should do as well."
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