Vice-President JD Vance has blamed local officials in Minnesota for the unrest in Minneapolis, accusing them of failing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Speaking on Thursday, Vance said the “number one thing” that would reduce tensions would be for state and local leaders to facilitate “reasonable enforcement of the law”.
Vance’s comments came after federal immigration agents detained a five-year-old child with his father and used tear gas on protesters in the city. The vice-president dismissed reports of excessive force as “overblown” and accused the media of lying about the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas to Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation into whether local officials conspired to impede federal immigration enforcement. Walz described the move as “political theatre” and said the state’s focus should be on protecting families and holding criminals accountable.
Vance claimed that the level of chaos seen in Minneapolis was unique, contrasting it with other cities where federal operations have proceeded without similar violence. He called on local law enforcement to help identify and arrest violent criminals, stating that the federal government is doing its part to lower the temperature.
