As federal agents descend on Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge, Democrats have lambasted the federal immigration enforcement effort and called for ICE to leave the state.
In fact, DFL officials whipped up protesters into such a frenzy that some have destroyed law enforcement vehicles and obstructed federal agents. Last week, DHS reported that one agent was attacked by a group while conducting a traffic stop in Minneapolis.
This unfolding chaos stemmed from the Jan. 7 death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Federal authorities have said the ICE agent acted in self-defense after Good weaponized her vehicle against the agent.
On the same day Good died, Rep. Angie Craig publicly demanded that ICE leave Minnesota. The four-term DFL congresswoman also attacked the Trump administration’s immigration policies, calling them “misguided, illegal, and outright dangerous.”
Since then, Craig attempted to enter an ICE detention facility and “conduct oversight”; she has said “ICE’s mass presence is making our communities less safe”; she has referred to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as “ICE Barbie”; and she has said “Trump and Kristi Noem’s ICE” are “terrorizing the people of Minnesota.”
On Jan. 10, the DFL congresswoman published a video of herself holding a cardboard sign that called for Noem’s impeachment. Craig has since backed a Democratic congressional effort to impeach Noem and has vowed to not approve any more funding for “Trump and Kristin’s Noem’s ICE.”
Followed Tom Emmer’s advice to “take a walk” this weekend. pic.twitter.com/qQnbSohoSv
— Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) January 11, 2026
At a Friday event, Craig accused ICE of using excessive force in one case, said she heard ICE detained a U.S. citizen for 12 hours in another case, and said the Trump administration “isn’t looking for criminals, they are looking for black and brown neighbors.”
However, federal authorities have said Operation Metro Surge has resulted in the arrest of criminal illegal aliens convicted of sex crimes, violent offenses, and drug trafficking.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan attacks Craig for supporting Laken Riley Act
As Operation Metro Surge has unfolded, Craig has faced repeated political attacks from Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, her opponent in this year’s upcoming DFL primary for U.S. Senate.
Flanagan, who has built a brand as a left-wing Democrat, is running with the endorsements of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Keith Ellison, and other left-wing figures.
At present, Flanagan and Craig are considered the only real contenders for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate; it is expected to stay that way. As the race has progressed, Flanagan has latched on to a wedge issue that could prove decisive: The Laken Riley Act.
During the course of the campaign, Flanagan has repeatedly attacked Craig for voting in favor of the Laken Riley Act, a bipartisan law that was signed into law by President Donald Trump last year.
Named for a Georgia college student killed by an illegal alien, the law requires ICE to issue detainers for, and take custody of, illegal aliens charged with certain crimes. The law also gives states the ability to sue the federal government for not enforcing immigration law.
On the campaign trail, Flanagan has said the law “strips immigrants of due process” and “was the first step in giving Trump the green light to terrorize our communities.”
Seeking to marshal the Democrats’ anti-ICE feelings against Craig, Flanagan has repeatedly highlighted Craig’s vote and attacked her as “the ONLY Minnesota Democrat to vote for the Lake Riley Act.”
Additionally, Flanagan has criticized Craig for backing a June 2025 congressional resolution that expressed gratitude toward ICE. However, the resolution Craig supported was primarily focused on condemning a terrorist attack that took place in Boulder, Colorado.
Craig leaving toss-up congressional seat for statewide campaign
Craig’s aggressive tone is a marked shift from her previous persona when she was running for her suburban, south-metro seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
During those campaigns, Craig cultivated an image many perceived to be more moderate than the national Democratic Party. She regularly told voters she was endorsed by local law enforcement and had the backing of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
On immigration, Craig joined the congressional “Democrats for Border Security” task force when she was seeking reelection in 2024. That same year, she urged President Joe Biden to use his executive authority “to better address security at the Southern border.”
More than once, Craig prevailed in close contests for her metro-area seat. Of course, she benefited by never having a serious DFL primary challenger. Now, things have changed.
Craig is no longer appealing to general election voters in a toss-up district. Today, she is trying to win over the cadre of left-wingers that vote in the statewide DFL primary. Much of that contest could boil down to who appeals to the far-left the most.
Later this year, Democrats will meet in Rochester to formally endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate. That endorsement, while impactful, does not decide who the DFL nominee will be. Ultimately, the August 11 state primary election will decide who gets the nomination.
Whether Flanagan’s attacks against Craig will work is yet to be seen. However, Craig clearly seems to be feeling the heat.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
