Minneapolis mayor slams ICE as ‘bullies,’ warns other leaders 'it will be your city that is next'

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Mayor Jacob Frey defends Minneapolis protesters: 'This is an opportunity to be a patriot'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says the U.S. is a 'nation of immigrants' and it shouldn't matter where someone comes from as he defends protests.

Amid rising anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tensions nationwide, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey used the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., on Thursday as an opportunity to urge other mayors to combat the Trump administration's federal law enforcement efforts, cautioning violence could come to their cities "next."

"We are on the front lines of a very important battle, and it's important that we aren't silenced. That we aren't put down," Frey said. "This is not a time to bend our heads in despair, or out of fear that we may be next, because if we do not speak up, if we do not step out, it will be your city that is next."

The blue city Democrat went on to say the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis "is that bad," claiming people's constitutional rights "have been trampled." 

"Thousands of federal agents have descended on a city that has 600 police officers," Frey said. "People have been indiscriminately pulled off the street. Discrimination takes place only on the basis of are you Somali, are you Latino or are you Southeast Asian. American citizens have been yanked away from their homes … solely because they looked like they were from Mexico or Ecuador or Somalia."

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey prepares to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors 94th Winter Meeting, Thursday, in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

He added crime is down in "virtually every category" and "virtually every neighborhood" in Minneapolis, blaming federal agents for making the city "less safe."

"It is less safe when chaos reigns supreme," Frey said, arguing the federal presence has left families fearful of everyday activities.

The mayor called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end "Operation Metro Surge" in Minneapolis, and immigration enforcement nationwide, alleging "never once" had he made the issue partisan.

"This is not even about immigration. This is about silencing a narrative or a political position that differs from that of the federal administration," Frey said. "We've seen this kind of conduct in other countries, we cannot see it right here in America. This is not a Democratic or a Republican issue. Never once have I made this partisan. 

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivers a speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors 94th Winter Meeting, Thursday, in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

"This is a foundational principle of making sure that the endurance of our republic can continue on. It may seem like I'm talking too much on the macro level, or maybe this is a concerning thing to say, but I've got to tell you, we're seeing it in our streets right now."

Frey went on to accuse the administration of using the Department of Justice "as a weapon," calling them "bullies."

"They're investigating me and several other local elected officials, not because we've done something wrong, but because we have exhibited one of the core responsibilities that [we] have as mayors, and that is the core and foundational responsibility to speak on behalf of your constituents."

Frey's comments come days after White House border czar Tom Homan visited the Twin Cities in an effort to develop a "drawdown plan," to decrease the presence of federal agents in the state. 

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks to the press after addressing the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Thursday, in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)

Homan called his meeting Thursday with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison "very productive," with Ellison agreeing to notify ICE when local jails release violent illegal immigrants.

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The border czar also urged local leaders to limit "hostile rhetoric," as recent unrest in Minneapolis resulted in the deaths of Minnesota residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of federal law enforcement.

Though Frey remains in D.C., he told reporters he does not have a meeting planned with President Donald Trump on Thursday, and will meet with other elected officials at the Capitol.

Fox News Digital's Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.