White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stirred backlash late Sunday after alleging that local and state law enforcement in Minneapolis have been instructed to give up authority to federal officers amid escalating anti-ICE demonstrations in Minnesota.
Miller made the claim in a social media post responding to New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, who suggested “local cops have gone AWOL.” In his reply, Miller wrote:
“Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
The remarks came as protests continue in Minneapolis and other parts of the state following a series of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. Demonstrations intensified this month after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, 37, during an encounter that has drawn national attention and renewed debate over immigration enforcement tactics.
In recent days, the administration has leaned into a broader message portraying the protests as a direct challenge to federal authority. Earlier this week, Miller described anti-ICE demonstrators as “an insurgency against the federal government,” claiming they view federal forces as “an occupying force.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back, saying city police are “doing everything possible to keep the peace” amid protests and a heavy federal presence. Frey described the arrival of thousands of federal agents — including ICE and Customs and Border Protection personnel — as straining local resources, while insisting local officers remain on duty and focused on protecting the community.
