Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller has ignited a fresh political firestorm by claiming that local and state police in Minneapolis have been instructed to 'stand down and surrender' their law enforcement duties to federal authorities.
Federal 'Invasion' Meets Local Resistance
The controversy stems from ongoing, widespread protests across Minnesota. These demonstrations were triggered by the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother of three, Renee Good, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent named Jonathan Ross earlier this month.
In a social media post on Sunday night, Miller, the architect of the Trump administration's immigration policy, asserted that 'only federal officers are upholding the law'. His comments were a response to a claim by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine that local police in the city had 'gone AWOL'.
Mayor Frey Condemns 'Occupying Force'
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has forcefully rejected the characterisation from Washington. Appearing on CBS News' Face the Nation, Frey stated the city was 'doing everything possible to keep the peace' but was contending with an 'occupying force that has quite literally invaded our city'.
Frey highlighted a stark numerical disparity: 'We've got 600 cops in the city of Minneapolis, and we're talking about 3,000 plus ICE agents and border control that have come in.' He insisted that local officers remained central to public safety efforts.
State of Tension and Political Standoff
The situation remains volatile. Over the weekend, protesters stormed the Cities Church in St Paul, demanding the withdrawal of President Trump's federal immigration forces from the state.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has placed the National Guard on standby and appealed for calm, thanking local law enforcement for keeping the peace. This comes after President Trump last week threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order.
Miller had previously described the anti-ICE protesters as conducting 'an insurgency against the federal government'. The Independent has contacted both the Minneapolis Police Department and Governor Walz's office for comment on Miller's latest allegations.
