A live television interview turned into a heated debate on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, as Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) sparred over the mayor's recent praise for protesters demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city.
A Tense Exchange on National Television
The confrontation occurred during Frey's appearance on "Fox & Friends." Jenkins challenged the mayor for having labeled ICE protesters as "heroes" earlier in the week, arguing that demonstrators had overstepped lawful boundaries. "You've called them heroes for being out there exercising their First Amendment rights, but they've gone farther. They're blocking the ICE operations," Jenkins asserted.
Jenkins repeatedly urged Frey to review video footage, exclaiming, "Take a look at some of the videos. You've seen these. Play these." The videos showed Minneapolis protesters confronting ICE agents, with some yelling "shame" and one woman appearing to shout, "You want to shoot me in the face?"
Mayor Frey retorted that he had seen the events live and was willing to look at the videos, but he was consistently interrupted. When he tried to contextualize the situation, stating, "We had thousands of protesters—" Jenkins cut him off to press his point about the protesters' conduct.
Frey Defends Protesters, Condemns ICE Tactics
After Jenkins cited 18 U.S. Code 111 and accused protesters of "throwing rocks, hitting cars and interfering" with federal agents, Frey presented a starkly different perspective. He emphasized the scale of peaceful dissent, telling Jenkins that "tens of thousands of people [have been] peacefully protesting in the streets" of Minneapolis.
The mayor defended the protesters' motives, stating they were "standing up for their neighbors" against what he described as "unconstitutional conduct by ICE." Frey drew a clear distinction between the agency's long history and the current administration's approach. "ICE has been around for decades... What is new is the way that the Trump administration is presently conducting themselves," he argued.
Background of the Escalating Conflict
The televised clash followed days of escalating rhetoric from the Minneapolis mayor's office. On Monday, January 12, Frey had publicly praised the ICE protesters in his city as "heroes" who are "standing up for each other" amid the Trump administration's sweeping immigration crackdown. "We aren't backing down. We don't retreat in Minneapolis... We stand up against bullies," he declared.
This statement itself followed an even more forceful incident that went viral. During a press conference on January 7, Mayor Frey told ICE to "get the fuck out of Minneapolis." In that same address, he slammed the agency for "ripping families apart" and "sowing chaos on our streets" by "quite literally killing people." This reference was to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, an event that has fueled local outrage and sustained protests.
The debate highlights the deep national divide over immigration enforcement, the limits of protest, and the role of local leaders in confronting federal policies. Mayor Frey's unwavering support for the demonstrators underscores a commitment to a local separation ordinance and sets a defiant tone against federal operations perceived as overreach.
