Stephen Miller’s Claims About Minneapolis Law Enforcement Spark Controversy
Stephen Miller, a key figure in former President Donald Trump’s administration and a strong advocate for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has made controversial statements regarding local law enforcement in Minneapolis. He claimed that local police have been “ordered to stand down and surrender” during ongoing protests against ICE. These remarks came in the context of recent unrest following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Good by an ICE agent.
Miller, who served as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, has consistently supported ICE policies. His comments were a response to claims by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, who suggested that local police had gone AWOL after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the city as being “under siege” from ICE agents.
In his social media response, Miller stated: “Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender.” However, the Minneapolis Police Department denied these allegations. Sergeant Garrett Parten, a spokesperson for the department, told The Daily Mail that such claims were untrue.
The Daily Mail also reached out to Mayor Frey and ICE for further comment, but no official response was received at the time of publication.
Miller’s Vision for Deportation Operations
Miller has long been a proponent of aggressive immigration enforcement. He has pledged to oversee what he calls the “largest deportation operation in American history,” targeting the country’s estimated 11 million undocumented migrants. Recently, he appeared on The Charlie Kirk Show, where he claimed that protesters in Minnesota are attempting to dismantle the Trump government.
“Understand that this is clearly an insurgency against the federal government. They are describing a federal government as an occupying force. Just think about that for a second,” Miller said. He added that he would seek charges not only against rioters but also against government officials who are accused of encouraging or enabling the protests.
This rhetoric comes on the heels of a significant protest at a St. Paul church, where Sunday services were disrupted by left-wing agitators. Protesters demanded that ICE leave and accused a senior church leader of working with the agency.
Church Protest Disrupts Worship Services
One demonstrator, Nekima Levy Armstrong, expressed outrage over the death of Renee Good, who was shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross earlier this month. “This will not stand; they cannot pretend to be a house of God while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,” she said.
The protest was covered by Don Lemon, who followed the marchers as they stormed into the service. Lemon, now an independent journalist after being fired from CNN, spoke with one of the pastors at Cities Church. The pastor stated that the protesters refused to engage in peaceful dialogue and asked Lemon to leave.
A churchgoer expressed their frustration, saying, “These people have come into our house and they’ve interrupted our worship. Everybody’s gone home, their point has been proven worthless and so, in the end, I think they lose.” Another attendee described feeling “violated, interrupted, and angry.”
Federal Response and Legal Consequences
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Civil Rights Division would investigate the incident under the FACE Act, which criminalizes the use of force or threats at religious institutions. She also warned that any attacks on federal law enforcement would face “the full force of federal law.”
ICE’s social media account criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly inciting the protests. “We won’t be deterred. ICE isn’t going anywhere,” the agency stated.
President Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, tweeted that the president would not tolerate the harassment of Christians in places of worship. She mentioned that the DOJ had launched a full investigation into the incident.
Lemon may face a federal investigation for his involvement in the protest. Dhillon warned that his actions could lead to legal consequences and stated that she was in contact with Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI.
“We are investigating potential criminal violations of federal law,” Dhillon said.
