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Frey’s message was unmistakable: resistance to ICE would not be stopped by city authorities. His political base, particularly Minneapolis’s Somali community, is key to his power, and he appeared to side with them over federal law enforcement.
Protesters Block ICE Operation, Woman Fatally Shot
On Wednesday morning, ICE agents conducting operations near 34th and Portland faced obstruction from local protesters. Video shows a 37-year-old woman in a burgundy SUV blocking the street. When agents approached and ordered her out of the vehicle, she moved forward.
An ICE officer, fearing for his life, fired three shots through the windshield. The SUV continued about 100 feet before striking a utility pole. The woman later died from a gunshot wound to the head at Hennepin County Medical Center.
Witnesses say EMTs took 15 minutes to arrive, and a doctor on scene was reportedly prevented from assisting the woman.
Homeland Security Labels Incident Domestic Terrorism
The Department of Homeland Security did not mince words.
“ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them — an act of domestic terrorism,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
“An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots,” she added.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem also defended the officers. “It was an act of domestic terrorism,” she said. “A woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him.”
The Trump Administration has highlighted that ICE officers face a 1,300% increase in assaults and an 8,000% rise in death threats.
Frey Responds With Profanity and Attacks
Later Wednesday, Frey held a press conference where he unleashed a profanity-laden tirade against ICE.
“They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense,” he said. “Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly, that is bulls***.”
He went further, demanding ICE leave Minneapolis immediately: “To ICE: Get the f*** out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety and you are doing exactly the opposite.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara echoed Frey, calling the self-defense argument “garbage.” Video shows the woman’s vehicle moving after officers gave orders to exit, though interpretations differ on whether she was fleeing or attacking.
Conservative Voices Demand Resignation
Conservatives quickly called for accountability. Benny Johnson shared Frey’s December warning about ICE, stating: “Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey warns ICE agents could be killed if operations continue in the city. He knows exactly what he is doing, his supporters are listening.”
Eric Daugherty summed up public outrage: “JUST IN: Americans are demanding the RESIGNATION of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey because he THREATENED violence against ICE just a couple weeks ago. Now, today, a suspect tried RUNNING OVER ICE with her vehicle, resulting in self defense shots. Resign. Now. HE IS COMPLICIT.”
The White House slammed Frey, praising ICE agents as “heroes” who removed “droves of hardened criminals” and stating the mayor “should be ashamed of himself.”
Frey’s Rhetoric Created a Powder Keg
There is no disputing the sequence of events. Frey spent weeks warning that ICE agents could be harmed, encouraged local resistance, and made operations more difficult. Violence erupted as predicted. A woman ended up dead after her vehicle approached an officer, who responded in self-defense.
Frey can blame ICE all he wants, but Americans see a mayor whose own rhetoric fueled deadly chaos. By emboldening his base to resist lawful federal enforcement, Frey created the conditions for tragedy—and now, calls for his resignation are deafening.
