Walz and Frey demand $203M from Trump for ICE raid costs

Minnesota governor and Minneapolis mayor say federal government must pay for 'immense costs' of immigration enforcement actions.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have demanded that the Trump administration pay $203 million to cover the costs incurred by the state and city due to recent ICE raids. Walz said the federal government needs to be 'responsible' for the 'incredible and immense costs' caused by the raids, while Frey estimated a net loss of $203 million for Minneapolis. However, former ICE director Tom Homan dismissed the requests, saying 'a lot of things were broken, but it wasn't because of Trump administration'.

Why it matters

The dispute over who should pay for the costs of federal immigration enforcement actions highlights the ongoing tensions between state/local governments and the federal government. It also raises questions about accountability for the impacts of such operations on local communities.

The details

Walz is seeking a $10 million emergency relief package for small businesses impacted by the immigration raids, with forgivable loans ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 for those who suffered 'substantial revenue loss'. Frey echoed Walz's calls for state and federal officials to pay for the loss in revenue and damages suffered in Minneapolis, though he acknowledged 'I'm not naive to think that we're going to get the entire amount'.

  • The ICE raids took place in Minnesota in 2026.

The players

Tim Walz

The Democratic governor of Minnesota who is demanding reimbursement from the federal government for the costs of the ICE raids.

Jacob Frey

The Democratic mayor of Minneapolis who is also demanding reimbursement from the federal government for the costs of the ICE raids in his city.

Tom Homan

The former director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who dismissed the requests for reimbursement from Walz and Frey.

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What they’re saying

“The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. There [is] going to be accountability on the things that happened, but one of the things is the incredible and immense costs that were borne by the people of this state.”

— Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota

“The federal government needs to be responsible. You don't get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it.”

— Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota

“A lot of things were broken, but it wasn't because of Trump administration.”

— Tom Homan, Former ICE Director

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to approve the $10 million emergency relief package requested by Governor Walz for small businesses impacted by the ICE raids.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between state/local governments and the federal government over the costs and impacts of federal immigration enforcement actions. It raises questions about accountability and who should bear financial responsibility for the consequences of such operations on local communities.