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Gov. Tim Walz lashes out at Trump administration as ICE ramps up enforcement, says state is "under attack"

By
Anthony Bettin
Digital Producer, CBS Minnesota
Anthony Bettin is a web producer at CBS Minnesota. He primarily covers breaking news and sports, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings.
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Anthony Bettin,
Eric Henderson
Managing Editor, Midwest
Eric Henderson is Managing Editor, Midwest for CBSNews.com. He has won three Emmy Awards, an Eric Sevareid Award and two Edward R. Murrow Awards.
Read Full Bio
Eric Henderson

/ CBS Minnesota

Gov. Tim Walz, addressing the media's questions for the first time since he announced he was dropping his bid to be reelected to a third term, lashed out at the Trump administration and claimed the state was "under attack" by the federal government.

Walz added that he believes Minnesota is "under assault like no other time in our state's history because of a petty, vile administration that doesn't care about the well-being of Minnesotans."

The comments come amid a surge in Department of Homeland Security agents to the Twin Cities area, as the agency escalates its federal crackdown amid a widening fraud scandal in Minnesota. The current plans involve a 30-day surge in the area, and may represent . As many as 2,000 federal agents may be involved in the surge, though the department told WCCO on Tuesday, "For the safety of our officers we do not get into law enforcement footprint."

Walz on Tuesday afternoon accused the GOP of wanting "to tear this state down." He also called the renewed federal immigration and fraud crackdown a "ridiculous surge" that has not been coordinated with the state. He also called it a "show" for the cameras.

"I don't think any governor in history has had to fight a war against the federal government every single day," Walz said.

President Trump posted on the  on Monday afternoon about Walz's decision to drop out of the race. He said, without providing evidence, "Minnesota's Corrupt Governor will possibly leave office before his Term is up but, in any event, will not be running again because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars."

Walz, on Tuesday, said he has no intention of stepping down until the end of his term.

"For Republicans here, I have more energy than I've ever had, I am committed to this state more than I've ever been, I love this state with every fiber of my being," Walz said.

Walz said he has not chosen a successor for the Democratic candidacy, though Sen. Amy Klobuchar has been approached and is said to be strongly considering running as the Democratic Party candidate. At least a half dozen candidates from the Republican Party have tossed their names into the mix, but Walz said he is "very confident a Democrat's gonna win this."

He added, "Republicans are going to lose races up and down the ticket."

Nicole Sganga and Camilo Montoya-Galvez contributed to this report.

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