US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that federal immigration agencies have made mistakes during their operations in Minneapolis, but directly blamed state and local officials for the recent “chaos” and confrontations related to immigration.

During a visit to Minneapolis, Vance stated that he is not seeking political support from leaders like Minnesota Governor Tim Walz or Major Jacob Frey, but practical cooperation. “I don't need Tim Walz, Jacob Frey, or anyone else to say they agree with JD Vance or Donald Trump on immigration,” he said. “What I do need is for them to empower their local officials to help our federal officials in a way that is a little less chaotic.” The remarks came after a roundtable with business leaders and law enforcement officials, amid heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent on January 7. The Trump administration has indicated, without presenting conclusive evidence, that Good posed a threat to agents. Vance acknowledged that ICE has not been infallible. “Of course mistakes have been made, because mistakes will always be made in law enforcement,” he stated, although he defended the officers, asserting that “99% of our officers are doing everything right.” He also strongly criticized the violent protests, stating, "Don't go out into the streets and attack federal law enforcement officers because you disagree with our administration's policies. It's all lies, and it has to stop." The vice president called for peaceful protests and warned that any attacks against federal officers would be punished. “If you attack a law enforcement officer, the Trump administration and the Department of Justice will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” he maintained. Vance also addressed controversial cases, such as the detention of children during ICE operations.Regarding a five-year-old boy being held at a nearby school district, he clarified: "The five-year-old wasn't arrested; his father was undocumented… what are they supposed to do?" He also defended an internal ICE memo authorizing forced entries with administrative warrants, stating that this is “our interpretation of the law."Although he acknowledged that he "doesn't want that many ICE agents in Minneapolis," he insisted that the situation would improve with local cooperation. "To achieve this, we need the help of state and local authorities," he concluded, reiterating that, in his view, this is the key to "lowering tensions" in the city.