Trump accuses Minneapolis mayor of 'playing with fire' after refusing to enforce federal immigration laws

President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of "playing with fire" by refusing to enforce federal immigration laws, amid high tensions in the city following the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal immigration agents.

"Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, 'Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.' This is after having had a very good conversation with him," the president posted on Truth Social.

"Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!" he added.

In a message posted on X, the mayor responded to Trump by defending that the job of local police is to protect the community, not to enforce federal immigration laws.

"The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador," Frey wrote.

Minnesota officials revolt

Ahead of the Democratic mayor's remarks, the president noted Tuesday that his administration will seek to "de-escalate a little bit" in Minnesota following the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen during an immigration raid.

His comments, made in an interview with Fox News, came after his top border affairs official, Tom Homan, traveled to Minneapolis to meet with local and state authorities amid growing questioning of federal immigration operations in the city.

Trump said Homan met earlier Tuesday with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in an effort to stabilize the situation on the ground. After the meeting, however, the Minneapolis mayor said federal enforcement operations have generated "serious negative impacts" on the city and reiterated that he "will not enforce federal immigration laws."

"I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers," Frey wrote on X.

"I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe," he added.

Gov. Walz shared those concerns, calling for "independent investigations" into the shootings by federal agents and calling for a substantial decrease in the presence of federal forces in Minnesota.