Gov. Tim Walz has “led Minnesota down many fronts” and failed to manage recent crises, including unrest tied to a controversial federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, and should be removed from office, Republican Minnesota state Rep. Drew Roach said Friday.
Roach told Newsmax TV’s "National Report" that Walz’s response to the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and what Roach described as Walz’s handling of a “Day of Unity” in schools following a fatal shooting, have eroded confidence in the governor’s leadership.
“Tim Walz has led and let the state down in many ways, many fronts,” Roach said.
“He’s continuing to stoke the flames in public. He’s now, you know, indoctrinating our children calling a day of unity in schools after the ICE shooting and using our kids as tools to perpetuate this anti-ICE movement.”
Roach added that Walz “has just led the state into a deficit and he needs to be removed immediately.”
He said voters are “demanding accountability” and that Walz is “the face of the fraud … and he needs to be held accountable as well as many other people. But we need to start with Tim Walz.”
The governor’s Day of Unity proclamation, issued after the Jan. 7 death of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good during a federal ICE operation, called on Minnesotans to observe a moment of silence and community service in her memory.
Good’s shooting has ignited protests, school closings, and debates over federal enforcement tactics, including the presence of hundreds of immigration agents in the city as part of a broader enforcement surge that has drawn national scrutiny.
Walz has defended the observance as a way for communities to come together and mourn the loss of life, saying Minnesotans can honor Good’s legacy through “decency, democracy, compassion, and our shared values.”
The fatal shooting of Good by an ICE agent has triggered protests and sharp criticism. Video and eyewitness accounts from the Jan. 7 incident show Good being struck by multiple gunshots during a confrontation with federal agents, though federal officials have maintained the agent acted in self-defense.
Nationwide reactions to the Minnesota events have been polarized, with some local leaders criticizing federal tactics at protests and others urging peaceful response. Schools across the region observed moments of silence and, in some cases, canceled classes amid safety concerns related to the unrest.
Walz has called for calm and insisted on a thorough investigation into Good’s death. State officials initially planned joint participation with federal investigators, though recent reports indicate the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken control of the probe, limiting access by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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