Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey managed to sidestep a key question during a CNN interview: why he opposes a federal immigration policy that was enforced under President Barack Obama and is now being pushed by President Donald Trump. Apparently, the policy only becomes controversial when Trump’s name is attached to it—funny how that works.
Frey appeared on CNN’s “The Arena with Kasie Hunt” to discuss the Trump administration’s decision to pull 700 federal agents out of Minneapolis following two deadly shootings last month involving federal officers. While the mayor criticized what he called “coercion” from the Trump administration over immigration enforcement, Hunt pointed out an inconvenient fact: similar policies existed under a Democratic president.
Hunt reminded viewers that during the Obama years, the Hennepin County Jail allowed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent to keep an office there and communicate with immigrants. In other words, the same type of cooperation now being requested by the Trump administration was once standard practice under a Democrat in the White House.
She then asked the obvious question: whether it is good policy for jails to honor ICE detainers and hand over individuals who have committed crimes—after they have already served their time for those crimes committed against the people of Minnesota.
Frey’s response was a master class in avoiding the point. He acknowledged the question but claimed he did not have full expertise on jail operations and said it was not his jurisdiction. He added that the federal government could seek a federal warrant and combine it with an existing state warrant, creating a legal pathway for detention after bail is posted. However, he insisted that what could not happen legally was a second detention after the obligations of the first detention were met. Translation: lots of legal talk, very little direct answer.
Frey’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
In a separate interview with NBC News on Wednesday, President Trump clarified that he did not “want” to pull officers from the blue state but described the move as a trade-off tied to the release of illegal immigrant prisoners.
Once again, President Trump is pushing for lawful cooperation between federal and local authorities—something Democrats once supported when Obama did it, but suddenly oppose now. Despite the political gymnastics, the administration remains focused on public safety and enforcing the law, and that commitment continues to send a clear message: protecting American communities will always come first.
