Minnesota Governor Tim Walz significantly escalated a feud with the Trump administration on Wednesday, threatening to activate the National Guard in what could trigger a confrontation with federal agents.
Walz made the threat after a woman was shot and killed by an ICE officer during protests against immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
Facts about the shooting are still developing, but Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claims the woman, who was identified as 37-year-old Renee Good, “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.”
Shortly after the incident, Walz held a press conference with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
During the press conference, Walz blamed the Trump administration for the shooting and threatened to mobilize the National Guard to protect Minnesota residents from ‘rogue’ ICE agents. (RELATED: Minnesota Medicaid Fraud Cases Draw Scrutiny After Convictions Tossed, Other Charges Dismissed)
Walz’s press conference came less than a day after a bizarre press conference where he accused Republicans of wanting to “tear the state down” and said that the federal government is “at war” with Minnesota.
“I don’t think any governor in history has had to fight a war against the federal government every single day,” Walz said.
The ICE raids preceding the shooting of Good occurred against the backdrop of alleged mass fraud that has engulfed the Walz administration in scandal, leading him to announce that he will not be seeking re-election as Governor.
The recent fraud scandal broke after independent journalist Nick Shirley investigated multiple daycares receiving federal funding in Minnesota that were largely run by Somali migrants, finding that many had very few children present in them during hours of operation or none at all.
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee held a contentious hearing on the scandal, with Republican state legislators in Minnesota alleging that Democrats have known about it for years. (RELATED: $69K Limousines, $3K Dinners: Inside Evers’ Europe Trip)
