Frey responded to Trump’s comments to NBC News that a “softer touch” is required for immigration enforcement in the city by saying that the change is welcome – but that the city has not changed its position that the immigration operation should be terminated.
“He’s right that a softer touch has been required. The drawdown of both federal agents as well as the implementation of body cameras is obviously a step in the right direction. That being said, the continued presence of 2,000 federal agents in a city that only has 600 police officers is still not deescalation,” Frey told CNN Wednesday evening.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a press conference on January 22, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
The mayor repeated his calls for Operation Metro Surge to end.
Later, asked if he trusts White House Border Czar Tom Homan after meeting with Homan behind closed doors, Frey did not respond directly. He framed the meetings as “positive” while saying the city is still asking the White House to end the immigration operation.
Frey said that Alex Pretti and his family deserve an apology after being labeled by administration officials as an “assassin.”
“Of course. I mean, this was one of my biggest frustrations from the very first moments following the killing of Renee Good,” he said. “Before I went out there to do that very first press conference, I learned that head officials from the federal government were saying that the ICE agent was acting purely in self defense, and I don’t know, an hour or two later, Renee Good herself was labeled as a domestic terrorist.”
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
