Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) demanded on Thursday that the federal government reimburse the state of Minnesota for the “damage” caused by the immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis.
After border czar Tom Homan announced the federal operation had concluded on Thursday, Walz quickly came forward to declare victory, claiming Minnesotans had defended the Constitution and served as an example nationwide. He then used the moment as an opportunity to demand compensation.
“The campaign of retribution by the federal administration has been more than a short-term disruption; it has inflicted long-term damage on Minnesota communities,” he said. “Recovery will not happen overnight. Families, workers, and business owners are feeling the effects, and our responsibility is clear: we will help rebuild, stabilize these businesses, protect jobs, and ensure Minnesota’s economy can recover and thrive.”
Walz made it clear in an address hours after Homan’s announcement that he expected the federal government to foot the bill in this reconstruction.
“The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. There’s going to be accountability on the things that happened, but one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were born by the people of this state, the federal government needs to be responsible,” Walz said.
“You don’t get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it. So we’re going to be asking the federal delegation to be investing and doing the things necessary,” he said, adding that he’d communicated demands for the Department of Homeland Security funding battle in Congress.
“I got to tell you, one of the things that I’m in contact with a lot of my colleagues, both at the federal level, with the Senate and the House, but especially governors. I don’t want these folks showing up somewhere else in doing this,” Walz said.
IMMIGRATION FRAUD FACES CONGRESSIONAL SCRUTINY FOLLOWING MASSIVE SOMALI SCAMS
However, he also ceded that he wasn’t expecting the federal government to go through with footing the bill, so he would approach the state legislature at the next session.
As part of the recovery effort, Walz announced a $10 million relief bill for small businesses affected by the surge.
