Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Shapes Minnesota’s Bitter Democratic Senate Primary/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Trump’s immigration operation in Minneapolis has become a defining issue in Minnesota’s Democratic Senate primary. Peggy Flanagan is challenging Angie Craig over votes supporting tougher enforcement, including the Laken Riley Act. The contest also reflects national Democratic divisions over electability, Medicare for All, Israel and outside spending.
Quick Look
- Minnesota Democrats will choose a Senate nominee Tuesday.
- Rep. Angie Craig faces Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
- Trump’s immigration crackdown has become a central campaign issue.
- Two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed during the operation.
- Craig voted for the Laken Riley Act but later said she regretted it.
- Flanagan calls Craig’s immigration votes a betrayal.
- Craig says her success in competitive districts makes her more electable statewide.
- Flanagan supports Medicare for All and reducing military assistance to Israel.
- Craig’s campaign spent $9 million through July 22.
- Flanagan’s campaign spent $5.5 million during the same period.
- Outside groups supporting Craig have spent significantly more.
- Bernie Sanders campaigned with Flanagan.
- Gov. Tim Walz has not endorsed either candidate.
- Gwen Walz endorsed Craig.
- The winner will compete for the seat being vacated by Sen. Tina Smith.
Deep Look
Immigration crackdown defines Minnesota primary
MINNEAPOLIS — President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown has become a defining fault line in Minnesota’s bruising Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Rep. Angie Craig, an establishment-backed candidate with a record of winning competitive congressional races, faces progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in Tuesday’s primary.
Their contest reflects the broader ideological divide playing out in Democratic races nationally, with moderate candidates emphasizing electability and progressives demanding stronger opposition to Trump and the party’s major donors.
In Minnesota, however, that disagreement has been intensified by a months-long federal immigration operation and the deaths of two protesters.
Federal building became center of resistance
Federal immigration agents used the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building near the Minneapolis airport as a staging ground during the deportation campaign.
Protesters carrying whistles and cellphone cameras gathered outside the complex to monitor and oppose the operation.
Two demonstrators, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed in Minneapolis before Trump reduced the federal operation under public pressure.
Months later, the barriers surrounding the federal building have been removed. The whistles and chants have largely been replaced by the sound of planes and buses.
The evidence of the confrontation nevertheless remains.
Volunteers wearing bright orange vests continue to stand across the street for more than 12 hours a day. They offer assistance to people released from immigration detention or leaving immigration court proceedings inside the building.
Fresh flowers and handwritten messages are still placed at memorials marking the locations where Good and Pretti were killed.
Craig’s immigration votes become a liability
Craig voted for tighter immigration enforcement soon after Trump began his second term.
She also supported a resolution condemning antisemitism after a 2025 firebombing in Boulder, Colorado, and thanking law enforcement personnel, including officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Flanagan has used those votes to portray Craig as insufficiently willing to confront the Trump administration.
For some Democratic voters, the immigration votes permanently changed their view of Craig.
“I think that’s when she lost my vote permanently and that’s why I will not vote for her no matter what,” said Bryce Bohne, a Minneapolis teacher and owner of an educational tourism company who supports Flanagan.
The votes rank among the most politically difficult decisions of Craig’s eight years in Congress.
Craig accustomed to attacks from Republicans
Craig won a Republican-held House district in 2018 and repeatedly survived expensive conservative campaigns against her.
Before entering the statewide Senate race, her most intense opposition generally came from Republicans.
Now, decisions she made while representing a competitive district are being scrutinized by progressive Democrats.
Craig has responded by adopting some of the economic-populist language gaining influence within the party.
“The working class keeps getting screwed,” she told volunteers preparing to canvass Saturday in Brooklyn Park.
“Folks, I don’t know about you, but it is time that we had a working folks reno— reso— renovation—”
Craig paused before completing the thought.
“—revolution in this country.”
Craig argues she also represents change
Craig rejects the suggestion that she is simply an establishment politician.
She was raised by a single mother in an Arkansas trailer park and has spoken about experiencing economic hardship.
Craig, a lesbian mother of four adult children, also does not fit the traditional profile of a longtime member of Congress.
She was among the House Democrats who called on President Joe Biden to leave the 2024 presidential race after his poor debate performance against Trump.
Despite her relative lack of seniority, Craig successfully sought the position of top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, moving ahead of longer-serving colleagues.
“I consider myself a progressive” Craig told reporters Saturday. “Every race that I run, Republicans run ads against me saying I vote with Democrats 96, 97% of the time.”
“Of course, in the primary,” she added, “people want to point out the few votes I’ve taken against Democrats.”
Laken Riley Act becomes key point of contention
The most consequential of those votes was Craig’s support for the Laken Riley Act.
The legislation was the first bill Congress passed after Trump returned to office. It requires federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.
Craig joined nearly 60 House and Senate Democrats in supporting it in early 2025.
By the end of that year, federal immigration officers had surged into Minneapolis, transforming the legislation into a major political liability for Craig.
Weeks after Good and Pretti were killed, Craig published a column in the Minnesota Star Tribune expressing regret.
She explained that she had concerns about some provisions but supported the law partly because it was backed by Democrats she respected. She also said many constituents were dissatisfied with conditions at the border during Biden’s presidency.
But the “outright occupation by aggressive, unaccountable federal forces” made clear to her “that supporting any bill that gives ICE new authority in this administration was the wrong decision. And I regret my vote.”
Craig maintains that the Laken Riley Act did not authorize Trump’s operation in Minnesota.
Previous understanding gives way to criticism
Before the Minneapolis crackdown, some Democratic voters understood why Craig occasionally broke with her party while representing a competitive district.
“Before that, people had a little bit more sensibility about the fact she was in a tough district and had to take tough votes,” said Corey Day, a former executive director of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
Craig has since sought to present herself as an aggressive defender of Minnesota against Trump.
She argues that her record of winning difficult races gives Democrats their best chance of keeping the Senate seat in November.
Supporters say Craig has demonstrated an ability to connect with suburban, rural and working-class voters who will be necessary in the general election.
“Angie has experience working across demographics that we need to win over statewide, including in rural Minnesota,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Kevin Anderson. “I love Peggy, I really do, she’s a great politician. But I don’t think she’s ever had to work across Minnesota.”
Walz remains neutral while his wife backs Craig
Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has declined to endorse either candidate.
Flanagan has served as his governing partner and lieutenant governor for two terms.
Walz’s wife, Gwen Walz, endorsed Craig in late July, choosing her over Flanagan.
The winner will compete for the Senate seat held by Democrat Tina Smith, who is not seeking another term.
The Republican primary field includes Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter.
Flanagan calls Craig’s vote a betrayal
Flanagan and her supporters reject the argument that Craig’s immigration vote was a pragmatic choice required by the politics of a competitive district.
They view it as a betrayal of immigrants and Democratic principles.
“My primary opponent voted for Donald Trump’s immigration bill and was the only Minnesota Democrat to do so,” Flanagan told volunteers in St. Paul. “She since then has said that she regrets that vote, and I’m glad. But it shouldn’t have taken 14 months.”
“We can stand with the immigrant community and not just when it’s politically expedient for us,” Flanagan added.
Flanagan has sought to make the race a test of whether Democrats should compromise on Trump administration priorities or oppose them consistently.
Flanagan runs on progressive platform
Flanagan supports Medicare for All and wants to reduce U.S. military assistance to Israel.
Those positions align her with Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary.
Flanagan is campaigning not only against Craig’s voting record but also against the wealthy donors and outside groups spending heavily to support her opponent.
Her campaign emphasizes grassroots fundraising and argues that reliance on smaller donors would allow Flanagan to act independently in the Senate.
“The fact that the money is coming from us and only us makes such a huge difference, because she’s beholden to us, not some billionaire with some business or crypto interest,” said Flanagan supporter Justin Ropella, a customer service manager from Woodbury.
Craig leads in campaign spending
Craig’s campaign spent $9 million through July 22, compared with $5.5 million for Flanagan.
The spending disparity was even greater among independent organizations, with Craig’s allies spending substantially more.
Both candidates have benefited from outside spending, but the larger investment supporting Craig has reinforced Flanagan’s argument that the race pits a grassroots campaign against powerful donors.
Flanagan has attempted to offset the financial difference with help from nationally known progressive figures.
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigned with her in July and used the appearance to attack billionaires, political advertisements and super PACs.
“If the people of Minnesota can stand up — and I’m confident that they can — and tell these billionaires and their lies and their 30-second ads and their super PACs to go to hell, democracy is going to reign,” Sanders said.
Tuesday’s vote will determine whether Minnesota Democrats prioritize Craig’s record of winning competitive races or Flanagan’s call for a more uncompromising progressive opposition to Trump.
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