Tim Walz op-ed slams ICE’s ‘un-American’ presence in Minnesota as he blames Trump for ‘chaos’
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Tim Walz attacked Donald Trump and ICE’s ongoing raids in Minnesota in an op-ed. In his latest criticism, the governor called ICE’s presence in the state “un-American” and also slammed the president for creating “chaos and violence.”
Tim Walz slams ICE raids as unsafe and abusive
In the op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on January 26, Walz began, “The Trump administration’s assault on Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state.”
He also claimed that the ICE raids are not “making anyone any safer.” The politician then went on to mention Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, two US citizens who were fatally shot by federal agents in Minnesota. While Good died on January 7, Pretti lost his life on January 24.
“There are countless other stories of protesters and bystanders being physically attacked by federal agents, to say nothing of the chaos and violence being unleashed against the targets of these raids, many of whom have done nothing wrong except exist as a person of color,” he stated.
Tim Walz disputes Trump claims on Minnesota detainers
In the op-ed, Tim Walz also accused the Trump administration of spreading incorrect information about Minnesota.
He added, “The administration claims that Minnesota jails release ‘the worst of the worst.’ In reality, the Minnesota Department of Corrections honors all federal and local detainers by notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a person committed to its custody isn’t a US citizen.”
According to the 61-year-old, the federal government has also made some “ridiculous” claims about Minnesota, including stating that “1,360 non-US citizens are in Minnesota prisons. The truth: Our total state prison population is roughly 8,000, and only 207 of them are noncitizens.”
Tim Walz urges humane immigration enforcement overhaul
Further in the op-ed, Tim Walz alleged that the presence of federal agents in Minnesota has led to the separation of “children from their parents” and racial profiling of off-duty police officers.
“It isn’t following the rule of law. It’s chaos. It’s illegal. And it’s un-American,” he asserted, before continuing, “I fear that his hope is for the tension between ICE agents and the communities they’re ransacking to boil over, that he wants you to see more chaos on your TV screens, protests turn into riots, more people get hurt.”
Walz added, however, that the people of Minnesota “aren’t taking the bait. They are protesting, loudly and urgently, but also peacefully.”
Concluding his op-ed, the Army National Guard veteran spoke about “trust, respect and shared purpose,” saying intimidation or political threats serve no purpose.
Walz then urged Trump to “end this unlawful, violent and chaotic campaign,” while calling for the rebuilding of “an immigration enforcement system that is secure, accountable and humane.”
