CNN commentator Scott Jennings slammed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for refusing to cooperate with the Trump administration and ICE on removing criminal illegal immigrants. Jennings argued that Minneapolis is uniquely engulfed in chaos because, while liberals focus on holding the Trump administration accountable for ICE actions, few hold local leaders accountable for their refusal to cooperate. He said that simple cooperation could significantly reduce both ICE presence and local disorder.
“I think I'm looking at what the President has done today," Jennings said. "Number one, he spoke to Walz. Number two, he spoke to the Mayor of Minneapolis, he spoke to Frey. He is clearly trying to get them to acquiesce... Paul raised, 'Why are there so many Border Patrol and ICE agents in Minneapolis?' It's a simple answer. Because they will not cooperate with federal officials.”
Both Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey have continued to escalate inflammatory rhetoric against federal immigration agents, portraying them as villains and encouraging residents to “protect” their communities by protesting ICE operations. Rather than safeguarding rights, as Democrats claim, some protests have turned violent, directly interfering with federal actions and endangering the safety of agents, protesters, and immigrants. These confrontations have already resulted in the deaths of two protesters this month: Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
“In Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, the Mayor, has made it clear, they will not cooperate, and they will not let ICE or Border Patrol into the jails, like they do in so many places. So, is the immigration crisis in Minneapolis? No. In fact, most of the deportations going on in this country are actually happening in red states," Jennings continued. “But there are illegal aliens in Minneapolis. They are being protected by the Democrats who run Minneapolis. And if Jacob Frey and Tim Walz cooperate as they have been begging for weeks, then you wouldn't have this massive presence in Minneapolis.”
Recommended
"So, for whatever you want to say about Stephen Miller or anybody else at the White House, the local politicians have responsibility to be more measured in their own rhetoric and to simply cooperate with the federal government," he added.
Scott Jennings: “I think I'm looking at what the President has done today. Number one, he spoke to Walz. Number two, he spoke to the Mayor of Minneapolis, he spoke to Frey… Why are there so many Border Patrol and ICE agents in Minneapolis? It's a simple answer. Because they will… pic.twitter.com/iCrl7qnzsf
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) January 27, 2026
While conservatives have called out local politicians for their rhetoric and role in inciting chaos, little action by Republican politicians has been taken.
It remains uncertain whether the Trump administration will be able to hold officials like Mayor Frey and Gov. Walz responsible for the unrest that has erupted across Minnesota in recent weeks.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
Help us hold these leftists accountable and expose their obstruction. Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member