LIVE UPDATES I Vice President JD Vance in Minneapolis on Thursday
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Vice President JD Vance made an appearance in Minneapolis on Thursday amid the federal surge in the Twin Cities, saying in part that he sought to "better understand what’s going on, so that we can tone down the temperature a little bit, reduce the chaos and still allow the federal government to enforce immigration laws."
Vance in Minneapolis
What we know:
The vice president said he took part in a meeting with local business leaders, law enforcement and immigration officers as part of the visit.
Vance ‘learned a few things’
As part of the visit, Vance says he "learned a few things" about the efforts being made in Minneapolis, saying that ICE agents "are doing an incredible job, and frankly, a lot of the media are lying about the job they do every day."
"Come out and protest, but do it peacefully," Vance said on Thursday. "If you assault a law enforcement officers, the Trump administration is going to prosecute you under the fullest extent of the law."
Vance referred to officers being harassed and doxxed as "unacceptable" while describing the scene in the Twin Cities as "chaotic."
"We want t oenforce the laws on one hand, while on the other making sure people in Minneapolis are able to go about their day," Vance said.
Vance also discussed efforts to crack down on fraud in Minnesota.
You can watch the news conference in the player above.
Vice President JD Vance defends fatal ICE shooting
A day following a fatal shooting during which a federal ICE agent killed an unarmed Renee Nicole Good in her vehicle, Vice President JD Vance provided comments on the incident, saying in part that it was a "tragedy of her own making." FOX 9's Tim Blotz has the story.
The backstory:
Vance has been vocal in his support of the ICE surge in Minnesota and was quick to come to the defense of ICE officer Jonathan Ross following the shooting of Renee Good on Jan. 7.
At a White House press briefing the day after the shooting, Vance said Ross had acted in self-defense in the shooting. But, regardless, Vance argued Ross couldn't face charges because he was protected by immunity.
Dig deeper:
The visit comes days after the vice president announced that he and his wife Usha are expecting a fourth child.
Vance last visited the Twin Cities in September to meet with families after the shooting at Annunciation Church and School. Prior to that, Vance made a campaign appearance at the former Minneapolis Third Precinct in October 2024 during which he criticized Gov. Walz's handling of the 2020 riots.