Former Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said Minnesota’s governor and mayor are deliberately fostering chaos during unrest tied to immigration enforcement, arguing that political calculations have taken priority over public safety and the well-being of both civilians and law enforcement officers.

Cuccinelli made the remarks during an exchange with Harris Faulkner, as the discussion focused on escalating confrontations surrounding protests and law enforcement operations.

Faulkner opened by criticizing the leadership style coming from the governor’s office.

“Now he's mixed in some other problems. The governor has such a knack to make it messy and dangerous,” Faulkner said.

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Cuccinelli responded by asserting that the disorder is intentional and politically motivated. He said the strategy is designed to inflict political damage on President Donald Trump, even if it results in injuries or deaths.

“Well, again, his goal is this chaos,” Cuccinelli said.

“It's hard for regular people who are watching and listening to you and me, Harris to understand this. He wants the chaos. He thinks it hurts Trump more than it hurts Governor Walz.”

Cuccinelli said state and local leaders understand the risks involved and are willing to accept them to achieve political objectives.

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“And so they know that people are going to get hurt, maybe even die. They are okay with that,” he said.

“That's how far they'll go in their political virtue signaling.”

Cuccinelli argued that the situation has moved beyond legitimate protest and has instead become direct interference with law enforcement activity. He rejected the characterization of recent events as peaceful demonstrations.

“They are willing to risk and sacrifice the people who are there encouraging to come out and obstruct law enforcement,” Cuccinelli said.

“I'm not going to call it protesting. It's protesting when you do it in one place. It's obstruction when you're stalking law enforcement, to impede their operations.”

According to Cuccinelli, this obstruction is not accidental but encouraged by political leadership at both the state and city level.

“And that's what Governor Walz and Mayor Frey want,” he said.

“It's what they're getting.”

Cuccinelli warned that the consequences of this approach are already evident, with confrontations escalating into dangerous encounters that place everyone involved at risk.

“And people are getting hurt and, in fact, dying because they're entering into confrontations with law enforcement that put law enforcement at risk,” he said.

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The comments reflect growing criticism from Trump allies and former administration officials who argue that Democratic leaders in major cities and states are undermining federal authority and public safety for political gain.

Cuccinelli framed the unrest as a calculated strategy rather than an unintended outcome, saying the human cost is being ignored in favor of political messaging.

The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement efforts and resistance from Democratic-led jurisdictions, as well as broader disputes over accountability, public safety, and the role of elected officials during periods of civil unrest.

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