In a pointed column published by LI Press, conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly argues that the tragic deaths of two American protesters in Minneapolis stem directly from local leaders' refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. O’Reilly holds Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responsible, claiming their defiance led to chaos that claimed lives.
O’Reilly emphasizes that President Trump is constitutionally mandated to enforce U.S. laws, having sworn the inaugural oath twice with no room for evasion. He contrasts this federal duty with Minnesota's resistance to federal immigration enforcement, spotlighting Walz and Frey’s public stances against cooperating with authorities on detaining undocumented immigrants.
Mayor Frey, described by O’Reilly as an “extremist,” is quoted yelling “F – ICE” in defiance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). O’Reilly asserts this rhetoric set the stage for violence, as Frey and Walz openly rejected federal efforts.
The column details how Frey failed in his sworn obligation to uphold public safety. O’Reilly criticizes the mayor for not ordering Minneapolis police to intervene when anti-ICE protesters began physically confronting federal agents, noting that police “didn’t show up when things got out of hand.”
At the center of the tragedy are aggressive protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who O’Reilly says were killed due to Frey’s “dereliction of duty.” He argues that Minneapolis police could have protected the pair by restraining them but were instead ordered to stand down.
O’Reilly frames the incident as a straightforward cause-and-effect: local defiance against federal law enforcement created an environment where violence escalated unchecked, resulting in two dead Americans. The column warns of the “price of rebellion” against constitutional mandates.
