WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican and Democratic officials, as well as national security and law enforcement leaders, are calling for a safer way forward after the latest tragic death in Minneapolis.
The president sounded a more conciliatory tone this morning after a conversation with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Some Republican legislators and governors have been calling for a different approach since Saturday.
As the Forum wrote in a September 2024 explainer on potential mass deportations, visible, militarized immigration enforcement “could foster an atmosphere of occupation, damaging community-police relations and eroding public trust. In addition, that approach would threaten to set a dangerous precedent for further militarization of domestic law enforcement and its interactions with U.S. citizens.”
“The loss of life in Minneapolis has been tragic. Violence can never be the answer,” said Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. “The administration’s approach has been counterproductive and led to the dangerous conditions we face today.”
“I’m heartened to see initial steps toward the more sensible approaches we need to keep everyone secure, including law enforcement, bystanders and immigrants themselves. Americans want Republicans and Democrats to ensure our security by focusing enforcement on public safety threats.”
“Aggressive immigration tactics have not demonstrated clear public safety benefits,” said Ramon Batista, co-chair of the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force. “We should return to a more measured, priority-driven approach that aligns with the law and supports trust between law enforcement and communities.”
“While DHS and its component agencies such as ICE and CBP certainly have legitimate enforcement authorities, these law enforcement officers are not trained to conduct operations in conjunction with crowd control and legally-protected protests,” said Stewart Verdery a leader on the Council on National Security and Immigration. “We urge our federal, state, and local political leaders to dial back the rhetoric and restructure enforcement operations in a manner that improves, rather than jeopardizes, public safety.”