Minneapolis Mayor: 37-Year-Old Woman Killed by ‘Reckless’ ICE, Was Not Self-Defense/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said a 37-year-old woman was fatally shot by an ICE officer during a federal immigration operation. Frey rejected claims the shooting was self-defense and demanded a full investigation. The incident has intensified tensions amid a major federal crackdown in Minnesota.
Minneapolis ICE Shooting Quick Looks
- Mayor says 37-year-old woman fatally shot by ICE officer
- Jacob Frey demands full, independent investigation
- Mayor rejects DHS claim shooting was self-defense
- Frey says he reviewed video of the incident
- Shooting occurred during large federal immigration crackdown
- Around 2,000 federal agents deployed to Minneapolis area
- Mayor accuses ICE of creating “military occupation”
- Public outrage grows amid protests and political fallout
- DHS confirms person shot by ICE officer has died
- Incident unfolds alongside congressional fraud hearings in Washington
Deep Look
Minneapolis mayor says ICE officer’s killing of a motorist was ‘reckless’ and wasn’t self-defense
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Wednesday that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot and killed a motorist acted recklessly and rejected federal officials claims that the officer had acted in self-defense.
During a news conference hours after the ICE officer shot the woman, whose name hasn’t been released, an angry Frey blasted the federal immigration crackdown on the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
“They are not here to cause safety in this city. What they are doing is not to provide safety in America. What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust,” Frey said. “They’re ripping families apart. They’re sowing chaos on our streets and in this case quite literally killing people.”
“They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense. Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is bullshit,” the mayor said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for a full investigation Wednesday after confirming that a 37-year-old woman was fatally shot by an officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a federal enforcement operation in the city.
Speaking at a tense news conference, Frey said many details surrounding the shooting remain unclear, but he pledged accountability. “We collectively are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice and to make sure that there is an investigation that is conducted in full,” he said.
The mayor forcefully rejected a claim from the Department of Homeland Security that the shooting was an act of self-defense. Frey said he had personally reviewed video of the incident and dismissed the federal explanation.
“They’re sowing chaos on our streets, and, in this case, quite literally killing people,” Frey said. “They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed.”
The shooting occurred as Minneapolis faces one of the largest immigration enforcement operations in recent history. Federal officials have confirmed that roughly 2,000 agents were being deployed across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area as part of a nationwide crackdown ordered by the Trump administration. The operation has focused in part on allegations of fraud and misuse of federal funds in Minnesota.
Law enforcement presence was heavy at the scene Wednesday, with multiple agencies responding. Images and video from the area showed officers standing guard near a secured perimeter as investigators worked. Homeland Security officials later confirmed that the person shot by the ICE officer had died.
Frey accused federal immigration agents of attempting to provoke unrest. “They want an excuse to come in and show the kind of force that will create more chaos and more despair,” he said. “Let’s not let them. Let’s rise to this occasion.”
The mayor’s remarks escalated further as he delivered a blunt message directly to ICE leadership. “Get the fuck out of Minneapolis,” Frey said. “We do not want you here.”
The fatal shooting unfolded against a broader backdrop of political turmoil in Minnesota. State representatives were testifying Wednesday before a Republican-led U.S. House Oversight Committee in Washington, where lawmakers are examining allegations of fraud and misuse of federal funds tied to social service programs in the state.
Those hearings follow renewed attention from conservative media figures highlighting years-old welfare fraud allegations. In response, federal officials have frozen certain child care payments to Minnesota, giving state leaders until Friday to provide detailed information about providers and recipients.
The controversy has already claimed political consequences. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, recently announced he would not seek reelection amid mounting scrutiny related to the federal investigations and the immigration enforcement surge.
In Minneapolis, community anger has been growing for days as federal agents carried out arrests and enforcement actions in residential neighborhoods. Immigrant advocacy groups and city officials have warned that the aggressive tactics are traumatizing communities and increasing the risk of violence.
Civil rights advocates are now calling for transparency about the circumstances of the shooting, including the release of body camera footage and details about why ICE agents were operating in the area at the time. They argue that the incident highlights the dangers of deploying heavily armed federal agents in local neighborhoods.
As of Wednesday afternoon, DHS had not released the identity of the officer involved or further details about the shooting. It remains unclear whether the agent has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Frey said Minneapolis will cooperate with investigators but stressed that accountability must extend beyond internal federal reviews. “This cannot be swept under the rug,” he said. “A life was lost, and the people of this city deserve answers.”
The incident is expected to intensify calls from local leaders across the country to limit or block federal immigration operations within city limits, especially as enforcement actions expand under the Trump administration’s renewed crackdown.
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