CALIFORNIA January, 16 2026 – California Governor Gavin Newsom.sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, calling them a “disgrace” and accusing the administration of terrorizing communities and engaging in unprecedented corruption.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on January 16, Newsom stated:
“It is a disgrace what Donald Trump is doing in Minneapolis.
It is a disgrace what he’s doing across this country, terrorizing our communities.
It is a disgrace what @DHSgov is advertising.
It is absolute corruption that we haven’t seen before in modern world history.”
The post featured a video clip of Newsom speaking passionately from a podium.
Newsom’s comments come amid intense controversy over federal immigration actions in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On January 7, an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good three times during an operation, an incident that has fueled protests and accusations of excessive force.
Local authorities, including the state of Minnesota and cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, have filed lawsuits to curb what they describe as unlawful federal raids in sensitive locations such as schools and places of worship.
President Trump has defended ICE operations, describing them as necessary to “Make America Safe Again,” while threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces in response to protests.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ramped up recruitment for ICE agents, announcing significant manpower increases to support the administration’s deportation priorities. Critics, including Newsom, have pointed to DHS promotional materials and campaigns as inflammatory.
Protests in Minneapolis have drawn national attention, with residents and officials decrying the operations as an “occupying force.”
The video attached to Newsom’s post shows him addressing a prior event focused on California’s “Treatment Not Tents” initiative for homelessness, featuring signage for a proposed wellness and cultural center in San Francisco. The clip’s intense delivery—repeated use of “disgrace”—has been repurposed to underscore his criticism of the federal actions.
Newsom’s statement reflects ongoing tensions between Democratic-led states like California and the Trump administration over immigration policy. California has long positioned itself as a sanctuary state, often clashing with federal enforcement efforts.
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