White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller ignited controversy late Sunday night by claiming that local and state law enforcement in Minneapolis have been ordered to “stand down and surrender” authority to federal officers as anti‑ICE protests continue in Minnesota. Miller’s statement, made in a social media post, has drawn widespread attention and pushback from local officials and legal observers.
In response to a post by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine asserting that “local cops have gone AWOL,” Miller wrote:
“Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender.”
Only federal officers are upholding the law. Local and state police have been ordered to stand down and surrender. https://t.co/LnX3Y5Ggeu
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) January 19, 2026
Miller’s comment was issued against the backdrop of ongoing demonstrations that have gripped Minneapolis and parts of Minnesota following a series of federal actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Protests intensified this month after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, 37, in an encounter that has drawn national scrutiny and renewed debate over immigration enforcement tactics.
The Trump administration’s broader narrative — including Miller’s characterization of protesters as hostile to federal authority — has been consistent in recent days. Earlier this week, Miller labeled the anti‑ICE demonstrators “an insurgency against the federal government,” asserting that they view federal forces as “an occupying force.”
Stephen Miller on Minneapolis: "This is clearly an insurgency against the federal government" pic.twitter.com/JKOaqsqo4G
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2026
Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis said city police are “doing everything possible to keep the peace” amid the protests and a significant federal presence. Frey described the deployment of thousands of federal agents — including ICE and Customs and Border Protection personnel — as overwhelming local resources, but maintained that local officers continue to serve their communities.
With Minnesota’s National Guard at the ready, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says “we are doing everything possible to keep the peace, notwithstanding this occupying force that has quite literally invaded our city.”
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) January 18, 2026
“We've got 600 cops in the city of Minneapolis, and we're talking… pic.twitter.com/tkjgNMY26y
