Third-time mayor of Minneapolis Jacob Frey is known for his boyish smile and nice nature, but he is no stranger to tougher situations, like the murder of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent.
Despite clear video evidence, Kristi Noem and Donald Trump stand with the federal immigration agent who shot Renee Nicole Good dead. They accuse Good of trying to run down the ICE agent, despite video evidence to the contrary. This does not sit well with Minneapolis’ Mayor Jacob Frey, who made the air a shade of blue during a press conference. Not to mince words, Frey told ICE to “get the — out of Minneapolis.”
The mayor has handled tough situations before and is so much more than just a friendly smile. This is especially so as Trump targets Frey’s Democratic-led city with stepped-up deportation efforts. Those efforts have led to the death of a white American citizen, wrongfully shot in the face by an ICE agent.
Frey has served as the mayor of Minneapolis since January 2018 and was re-elected for his third term in November 2025.
USA Today quotes Andy Aoki, professor of political science at the Augsburg University in the city who spoke of Frey’s reaction. He said the mayor’s statement “was very forceful in tone, sure, and in turn, probably represents the feelings of most Minneapolis residents.” adding:
“Otherwise, he doesn’t come across as the loud, abrasive, over-the-top politician ready with a soundbite. He comes across as more thoughtful, measured, and now more direct.”
The ICE incident happened amid a growing powder keg of ICE activity in Minneapolis and around the country. However, it was just the latest incident that Frey, 44, has had to face in his time as the city’s mayor.
This week’s incident was the spark many feared amid a growing powder keg of heightened activity by immigration authorities in Minneapolis and nationwide. But it was just the latest adversity Frey, 44, has faced in his eight years as the city’s mayor.
It isn’t that long since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020, less than a mile from the site of this week’s shooting incident. Moreover, August saw two children killed and 14 injured in a mass shooting at the Annunciation Church in the city, and more recently, Trump attacked Minnesota’s Somali community following reports of fraud involving Somali immigrants.
As if the city doesn’t have enough against Trump, January 7 saw a US immigration agent shoot and kill Renee Nicole Good in cold blood in her vehicle – an incident that was captured clearly on video. While the Trump administration states the ICE agent was just protecting his own life, the footage makes it clear exactly what did happen. Good was shot dead in front of her wife while trying to drive away from a protest.
Frey On Friday penned a guest editorial for the New York Times headlined, “I’m the Mayor of Minneapolis. Trump Is Lying to You.”
“The chaos that ICE and the Trump administration have brought to Minneapolis made this tragedy sadly predictable,” he wrote.
Speaking of the mayor, Aoki said the resilience Frey has exhibited since Good’s murder comes from “a political savvy, an everyman approach” that he has cultured over his years as mayor. His reaction reflects the frustration in the city after several weeks of ICE agents in the area.
“This is going to be a test of his patience, resilience, and all of his political savvy,” Aoki said. “He’s in the crosshairs of the federal government, and you just can’t just fight them tit-for-tat. He has to figure out the best path to succeed while getting pressure from all sides. This is going to test his political skill set in many ways.”
“It’s really from his heart and his head that he’s speaking,” he added. “Hubert Humphrey would be very proud of the kind of leadership that Mayor Frey is showing right now.”
