In a brazen display of defiance, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued an ultimatum to President Donald Trump on January 24, 2026, demanding the immediate halt of Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown targeting violent criminals. Frey’s inflammatory rhetoric came mere hours after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen armed with a loaded 9mm pistol and two extra magazines, who aggressively approached and resisted agents during an enforcement action against an illegal immigrant wanted for assault. Federal officials described the shooting as self-defense amid a chaotic scene, but Frey sensationalized it, claiming video showed “masked agents pummeling” a resident to death, while conveniently ignoring Pretti’s armed resistance.
Frey’s call to “end this operation” and restore safety reeks of hypocrisy, as he egged on protesters to “stand up for America,” effectively mobilizing networks of agitators who’ve turned demonstrations into violent riots. These so-called “protests” have devolved into mob rule, with reports of rioters assaulting officers—one even biting off a federal agent’s finger—prompting National Guard deployment to secure scenes amid thrown objects and escalating threats. Critics, including President Trump, blast Frey and Governor Tim Walz for inciting insurrection through “pompous, dangerous rhetoric,” accusing them of shielding massive fraud and allowing criminal infiltration via open-border policies. Far from restoring safety, Frey’s strategy appears to rely on these brownshirt-style networks of anti-American agitators to intimidate federal forces, prioritizing political theater over law and order.
Legally, Frey has no right to dictate federal immigration enforcement, which supersedes local authority under the Constitution. His ultimatum is toothless bluster, potentially fueling more unrest in a city already reeling from protests that mask deeper issues like billions in alleged state fraud. As tensions mount, with active-duty troops on standby, Frey’s pandering risks turning Minneapolis into a powder keg, all while Operation Metro Surge has removed over 12,000 illegal criminals—proving federal action, not mob tactics, is the path to true safety.
References:
- https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/01/24/minneapolis-mayors-ultimatum-to-trump-end-this-operation-safety-will-be-restored
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/minnesota-residents-ice-surge-trump
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/us/minneapolis-federal-agents-misconduct-protesters.html
