I'm a Minnesota Republican. Gov. Walz must cool the overheated rhetoric.

President Donald Trump was reelected in 2024 in large part due to his clear and straightforward promise to secure our borders and deport violent criminals who are in the country illegally. That message resonated with voters and helped build one of the most diverse coalitions seen in modern electoral history.

Here in Minnesota, efforts to increase immigration enforcement have collided with local sanctuary policies in the Twin Cities, overheated political rhetoric and a breakdown in communication among local, state and federal officials.

What began as a public safety effort to remove criminal illegal immigrants has instead devolved into divisive confusion and conflict. The result has been civil unrest and increasingly dangerous confrontations between federal authorities and the community, with tragic results, including the deaths of two Minnesotans: Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The right to protest is fundamental in our government

In our system of self-government, the right to peaceful protest and the protections guaranteed by the First Amendment are fundamental. Thousands of Minnesotans have exercised that right by demonstrating against federal immigration actions.

Unfortunately, we have seen the line crossed from peaceful protest to confrontational tactics, including coordinated efforts (sometimes encouraged by elected officials) to interfere with lawful federal immigration enforcement operations.

As elected officials, our words matter, especially during moments of crisis. In Minnesota, continued hateful rhetoric from public leaders has too often poured gasoline on an already volatile situation.

Federal law enforcement officers were compared to the Gestapo. Minnesotans were urged to “put your body on the line.”

Operation Metro Surge has even been compared to the Holocaust, in comments made by Gov. Tim Walz that were swiftly rebuked by the Holocaust Museum. This type of overheated language not only incited escalation but also put both the public and law enforcement at risk.

Federal leaders have not been blameless, either. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security have also engaged in overheated rhetoric, most notably in the immediate aftermath of the tragic shooting of Alex Pretti.

Statements that appear to contradict the evidence undermine public trust, weaken the credibility of law enforcement and make the jobs of all of our public servants (including federal immigration enforcement officers) more difficult.

Time to cool down the rhetoric on both sides

Our society depends on institutions that are credible, respected and trusted. When leaders inflame tensions rather than calm them, that foundation begins to crack, and the consequences are felt by everyone.

The chaos that unfolded in Minnesota is not the result of rhetoric alone. Equally important are sanctuary policies in Minnesota and especially Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, the two Twin City-area counties that are experiencing the highest levels of immigration enforcement and confrontations between the public and law enforcement.

These policies limit or even eliminate local cooperation with federal authorities, setting the stage for violent confrontations on our streets. Last April, our House Republican caucus attempted to change Minnesota state law to facilitate more cooperation between the local and state communities and federal law enforcement. Unfortunately, that effort was blocked on a party-line vote.

Across the country, in blue states and red states alike, federal immigration operations take place without the chaos and tragedy we have seen in Minnesota because local jurisdictions honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainment orders and work with federal officials to remove violent, criminal illegal aliens, typically from county jails.

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, local leaders have chosen defiance instead of cooperation, ignoring ICE detainment orders for individuals in county or city custody. These are local jails, not state prisons – an important distinction Walz too often ignores. The governor conflates ICE detainment orders, routinely honored by state prisons, with those refused by local jails because of sanctuary policies at the county and city levels.

Refusing to transfer violent offenders in the controlled environment of a jail forces federal agents to conduct high-risk arrests in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities, increasing danger for bystanders, residents and law enforcement alike.

These policies have kept the violent criminals on the streets and in our communities. This lack of cooperation is unacceptable.

Cities, states and the federal government must cooperate

Ending these sanctuary policies and beginning with some narrow, commonsense steps – like honoring ICE detainment orders for violent offenders already in custody – and directing local law enforcement to assist with maintaining order and de-escalating confrontations with agitators would immediately lower tensions, reduce the need for street arrests, help restore order and turn down the political temperature.

I am encouraged that some of the overheated rhetoric appears to have cooled in recent days. Recent conversations between President Trump and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Walz give me hope that improved communication will lead to a renewed commitment to cooperation among local, state and federal governments.

I am also hopeful that fresh leadership on the ground from Tom Homan, the White House border czar, will allow for a reset and a more coordinated approach among local, state and federal officials.

Across the country, cities and states have shown that lawful federal immigration enforcement can be carried out without chaos or tragedy. Minnesota can do the same if we lower the temperature, end sanctuary policies that shield violent criminals and restore clear, consistent communication between local law enforcement and federal partners.

Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, is the Republican floor leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives.