Minnesota Lt. Gov. Flanagan Blasts Laken Riley Act as Anti-Immigrant Weapon in Heated Senate Race

Minnesota’s Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is doubling down on her progressive credentials in a high-stakes Senate primary by fiercely condemning the Laken Riley Act, a controversial immigration enforcement law that critics say fuels ICE overreach and community terror.

Speaking to a packed crowd at a “Stop Oligarchy” rally over the weekend, headlined by socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, Flanagan framed the Laken Riley Act as a deliberate assault on immigrant rights. “This didn’t just sneak up on us. There were literally gigantic signs that said, mass deportees now,” she said, accusing the Trump administration of openly pushing a brutal immigration agenda from the start of its second term. She blasted the law, sponsored by Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt, as “the green light to give ICE unprecedented power to totally terrorize our communities.”

Flanagan, who is running to fill the Senate seat of retiring Democrat Tina Smith, invoked the tragic deaths of two anti-ICE activists, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in law enforcement-involved shootings earlier this year, underscoring the chaos and fear gripping Minnesota’s immigrant communities. She praised Smith and Sen. Amy Klobuchar for opposing the law and pointedly criticized fellow Democrat Sarah Craig, the only Minnesota lawmaker to vote for the Laken Riley Act. Craig has since expressed regret for her vote, blaming the Biden administration’s immigration missteps for her initial support.

The rally also featured Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a key player in the state’s response to recent unrest linked to immigration enforcement tactics. Flanagan’s attack on the Laken Riley Act ties into broader Democratic efforts to push back against what they see as Trump-era policies that continue to haunt communities across the country.

The winner of the Flanagan-Craig primary will face a Republican opponent in the general election, with GOP contenders including former NBA player Royce White and ex-NBC sports reporter Michele Tafoya.

This fight over the Laken Riley Act is more than a policy debate — it’s a battle over the soul of Minnesota’s Democratic Party and its stance on immigration justice. Flanagan’s blunt denunciation signals a clear break from any tolerance of laws that empower immigration enforcement agencies at the expense of civil rights and community safety.

As Minnesota’s political landscape heats up, Flanagan’s call to “stop oligarchy” and curb ICE’s power aims to mobilize voters who want accountability and an end to the abuses that have escalated under Trump and linger in his aftermath. With the Senate seat on the line, this primary is shaping up to be a referendum on how Democrats confront immigration enforcement and protect vulnerable communities.