Frey and Klobuchar condemn ICE presence in Minnesota after shootings
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called on ICE to withdraw from Minneapolis following the new shootings.
Amy Klobuchar, a four-term Democratic senator and frequent critic of President Donald Trump, officially announced her candidacy for Minnesota governor on January 29, amid heightened tensions in the state due to the administration’s surge in immigration enforcement.
“These times call for leaders who are willing to stand up for themselves and not be a rubber stamp for this administration, but at the same time are willing to find common ground and try to fix things in our state. These times call for grit and resilience,” Klobuchar said in an announcement video posted to social media.
“I believe we must stand up for what’s right and right what’s wrong, which is why today I’m announcing my candidacy for governor of Minnesota,” she said.
Klobuchar’s announcement came after she filed paperwork to form a campaign committee on January 22, after current Gov. Tim Walz announced he would not seek re-election amid a federal investigation into widespread welfare fraud in the state. Minnesota’s precinct caucuses, traditionally the first step in the party endorsement process, begin on February 3rd.
Walz, who ran for vice president alongside former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, on January 5 cited mounting pressure over the fraud scandal as one of the reasons for her decision to drop out of the race, but pushed back with claims that the administration had failed to combat fraud.
The alleged scandal involves people, many of them Somali-Americans, accused of stealing hundreds of millions, even billions, of dollars over several years. The Department of Justice indicted 98 defendants in fraud-related cases in Minnesota, resulting in 64 convictions.
Klobuchar said her three goals are to get things done, to bring people together, and to stand up for what’s right and solve what’s wrong.
“I don’t like fraud and waste in government,” Klobuchar said. “I will eradicate fraud by making sure those who steal taxpayer money go to prison and changing the way our state government operates.”
In her announcement, Klobuchar said the Trump administration “revels in division,” referring to the ongoing unrest in Minnesota following the deaths of two Americans, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti.
“I’m running for all Minnesotans who want to drive ICE and its abusive tactics out of the state we love,” Klobuchar said.
In a statement, the Republican Governors Association called Klobuchar a “failed presidential candidate” and criticized her record and stance on issues such as the economy and increasing the number of refugees allowed into the country.
“Simply put, Amy Klobuchar has already brought Minnesota into disrepair, and Minnesotans cannot afford any more incompetent governance,” said Courtney Alexander, director of communications for the Republican Governors Association.
Chris Madel, a lawyer running for governor of Minnesota as a Republican, withdrew from the race earlier this week, accusing national Republicans of “retaliation” against the state and criticizing the Trump administration’s response to the immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
“The national Republican Party makes it nearly impossible for Republicans to win elections across Minnesota,” he said.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributor: Terry Collins, Katherine Palmer and Christopher Kang
