A fatal shooting involving Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis over the weekend has set off predictable outrage and protests in a city that has for years been a flashpoint for lawlessness and political theater. Videos and on-the-ground reporting show a chaotic scene as federal officers carried out an operation that ended with a bystander dead and streets erupting in anger.
Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota rightly called for calm and cooperation between federal and local authorities, urging leaders to deescalate tensions and let the facts—and the law—become the guide. Hoeven’s appeal on Fox Report was a commonsense reminder that emotion and mob pressure cannot replace due process or sensible law enforcement policy.
Let’s be clear: federal agents are not out there for political theater; they are performing dangerous work to protect communities from criminals who exploit our broken border policies. Senior officials have defended the agents’ actions amid the chaos, pointing out that operatives faced armed, confrontational behavior while trying to effect an arrest. Those defending law enforcement deserve to be heard, not shouted down.
Meanwhile, state and local leaders who reflexively demand the removal of federal personnel are playing with fire. Calls to “send ICE out” in the middle of a complex enforcement action only encourage lawlessness and tie the hands of officers trying to keep the public safe. The political theater of hauling federal agents out of a city while criminals celebrate would be an unforgivable dereliction of duty.
Americans owe every law enforcement officer—from the local beat cop to the federal agent on the front lines—our support when they act within the law to protect our neighborhoods. Violence and rioting accomplish nothing but more suffering for innocent people, and every leader who fans those flames should be held accountable at the ballot box.
Senator Hoeven’s message is the right one: enforce laws fairly, back officers who do their duty, and deescalate rhetoric that turns tragedy into political advantage. Now is the time for steady leadership, not cheap headlines; hardworking citizens deserve safety, order, and a government that enforces the law without favoritism.
