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Governor Walz says Minneapolis lost about $200M after ICE operations; congressman proposes 'Recoup Act'
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Summary
Governor Walz told the committee that recent disturbances tied to enforcement actions contributed to an estimated $200 million loss in Minneapolis; the committee member said he will introduce a "Recoup Act" to seek reimbursement for local costs tied to ICE operations.
During a hearing focused on alleged program abuse and enforcement, a committee member asked Governor Walz about the economic impact of recent ICE deployments in Minnesota. Governor Walz responded that fraud is "horrific" and that accountability is necessary, then cited state economic fundamentals and recent estimates of localized losses.
"We just had our economic numbers, and I would tell people that we have to balance the budget every year," Governor Walz said, adding that Minnesota remains in strong fiscal standing. He told the committee that, "by estimates, the city of Minneapolis estimates they lost $200,000,000 alone," and described a chilling effect on businesses, particularly immigrant-owned businesses.
The committee member pressed on local disruptions, citing instances where police responses increased and businesses temporarily shut down. He said the incidents had cost local police departments and announced he will introduce the "Recoup Act" to seek repayment to local jurisdictions for funds they expended in response to ICE activity; the bill was announced but not introduced to the committee formally during the hearing.
The governor’s dollar figure was presented in the hearing as an estimate attributed to the city of Minneapolis; the figure was not introduced into the record as an audited loss during the session. The committee member said he would pursue legislation; no committee vote or formal referral on the measure was recorded in the transcript.
