WATCH: Tim Walz Demands US Taxpayers Pay for “Damage” Caused by ICE in Minnesota
"You don't get to break things and then just leave... They left us with serious damage, generational trauma."
This article originally appeared on The Gateway Pundit and was republished with permission.
Guest post by Jordan Conradson
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday demanded that the federal government now pay for the “damage” they caused in Minnesota following the Trump Administration’s withdrawal from immigration operations in the state.
First, he thanked the radical left-wingers in Minnesota for violently driving federal agents out of the state, which resulted in the death of two anti-ICE rioters. He then revealed that he plans to provide forgivable “$10 million one-time targeted loans” from the Minnesota small business emergency fund.
But Walz wants US taxpayers to foot the bill. “The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here,” Walz said. They are going to be accountability on the things that happen, but one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were born by the people of this state.”
These costs reportedly include $1 million in rental assistance for those impacted by immigration raids and $4.3 million for police overtime pay while far-left Anti-ICE rioters took over the streets.
“They left us with serious damage, generational trauma. They left us with economic ruin in some cases. They left us with many unanswered questions,” Walz said during the press conference.
As The Gateway Pundit reported, rioters took over the streets of Minneapolis and lit a dumpster ablaze following the death of Alex Pretti, an armed leftwing agitator who had prior violent run-ins with federal agents.
WATCH:
The leftwing radicals also drove law enforcement out of part of the city and established an “autonomous zone.”
But, “the federal government needs to be responsible. You don’t get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it,” Walz says.
Walz further called for Democrats in Congress to continue the fight to defund the Department of Homeland Security and force ICE agents to take their masks off, stating he’s also in contact with governors because “I don’t want these folks showing up somewhere else and doing this.”
“They need to do more. But I’m not going to hold my breath that the federal government is going to do the right thing,” Walz said.
WATCH:
Walz: Minnesota, on behalf of not just this state but the country, thank you. That same energy now needs to be directed towards recovery, to finding ways that people have done during these challenging months to go forward. So, I want to say, this damage is still being assessed, but we do know, and you’re going to hear from some folks, you’re going to hear from Henry, you’ll hear from Commissioner Verelik about where we’re at on the front end of this, and we’re going to be proposing a reinstitution of our small business emergency fund. It’s what we use very successfully during covid in the recovery, the economic recovery that we saw in Minnesota that outpaced most of the rest of the country. We’re going to be proposing a first time $10 million one-time targeted loans, forgivable loans that we know, and I want to be very clear, is a very small piece of this.
But what I am going to challenge, as we get ready to start here in a few days the legislative session, this legislative session needs to be about recovery of the damage that’s been done to us. I am also asking our team, and I’m going to make appeals to our federal delegation, the federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. They are going to be accountability on the things that happen, but one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were born by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible. You don’t get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it.
So, we’re going to be asking the federal delegation to be investing and doing the things necessary. We have been in contact with federal leadership. As a negotiation is happening right now on DHS funding and all of the things that we have an expectation, whether it be the investigations, whether it be going forward, no masks, because this— I got to tell you, one of the things that I’m in contact with a lot of my colleagues, both at the federal level with the Senate and the House, but especially governors, I don’t want these folks showing up somewhere else and doing this. So the changes that need to be made, the investments that need to come back, they need to show, they being the federal government and they being this administration, they need to do more. But I’m not going to hold my breath that the federal government is going to do the right thing.
This comes after Border Czar Tom Homan announced the end of Operation Metro Surge, the ICE enforcement operation in Minnesota, in a complete capitulation to the radical left.
Last month, Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis to deal with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who laid out demands for “swift, significant reduction” in federal agents deployed to Minnesota, and “an end to the campaign of retribution,” and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey who doubled down on his refusal to cooperate with the federal government, announcing on social media that “Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.”
Homan announced, following discussions with Minnesota officials, plans to “draw down on the number of people” from ICE and CBP stationed in Minnesota.
Per Fox:
Homan announced Thursday that the administration will conclude Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota. Homan told reporters during a news conference at the Bishop Whipple Federal in Minneapolis that the operation succeeded in reducing public safety threats with “unprecedented levels of coordination” from state officials and local law enforcement.
“As a result of our efforts here, Minnesota is now less of a sanctuary state for criminals,” Homan said, adding, “I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.”
Homan said “a significant drawdown” of immigration agents was already underway and will continue through next week.
The border czar announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota, though 2,000 officers will remain. He cited improved cooperation with jails and said a complete drawdown was the goal, but it was “contingent upon the end of illegal and threatening activities against ICE.”
As The Gateway Pundit reported earlier, the Senate failed to pass a DHS funding bill, making a partial government shutdown imminent as the department’s funding expires on Friday.
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Maybe next time tampon Tim will just cooperate and there wouldn’t be any damage. How about that?