Vance Rejects Police Chiefs’ Claims of Racial Profiling by Federal Agents in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday pushed back against claims that federal immigration agents are racially profiling Minnesota residents and off-duty officers, after local police chiefs publicly raised alarm over the conduct of those operations. According to local leaders, some off-duty officers of color were stopped by federal agents and asked to show their “papers,” stirring questions about racial targeting amid aggressive ICE enforcement.
The clash underscores growing tension between state and city officials and the federal government’s sweeping immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, which has drawn protests and legal controversy in recent weeks. Chiefs of police and sheriffs in the Twin Cities have accused a small group of federal officers of questioning people based on skin color—a charge that federal officials including DHS dispute.
In response to a reporter’s question about those specific claims Thursday, Vance said the first step is to determine whether the alleged incidents actually occurred and rejected the notion that agents are systematically targeting individuals because of race. “This is not a group that’s going around and looking for people who violated the law based on skin color,” he said.
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Vance also addressed broader enforcement tactics under scrutiny nationwide, defending ICE’s use of administrative authorities and emphasizing that warrants are part of the process, a point he insisted would comply with constitutional requirements.
“It’s a concern absolutely, but we first have to figure out whether it happened,” Vance told reporters, framing the accusations as unverified assertions pending review.
The dispute highlights deepening distrust between federal immigration forces and local communities in Minnesota, with civil rights advocates and municipal leaders warning that aggressive enforcement could erode constitutional protections.
Federal officials say they will review all credible reports of misconduct, while local leaders are calling for clearer accountability and oversight. What happens next is whether independent investigations confirm or refute the profiling allegations and how federal, state, and local leaders choose to work together moving forward.
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