Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called the residents of Minneapolis “inspiring” during a lengthy interview on Tuesday with MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace on “Deadline White House.”
The 2028 presidential contender lauded the city’s residents for standing up to what he called overreach by federal immigration officers.
Despite freezing weather, thousands of demonstrators have turned out in Minneapolis to protest “Operation Metro Surge,” particularly after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — two U.S. citizens — at the hands of federal immigration officers.
“I believe ICE is acting outside the bounds of the law,” Shapiro said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He added that Pennsylvania is “preparing as though we can be next.”
“We will be prepared in the court. We will be prepared in the community,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro also called on Congress to vote to “put some guardrails around ICE spending” and encouraged Americans to continue to speak up. Asked what he would do in Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s shoes, Shapiro said he would bring charges against federal officers if they shot peaceful protesters in his state.
Shapiro also recounted a story from his new book, “Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service,” in which a man scaled a security fence around the governor’s mansion last April, smashing windows with a hammer and igniting Molotov cocktails. Shapiro and his family were unharmed, but the blaze caused substantial damage.
Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Shapiro, aggravated arson, 22 counts of arson, burglary and other related offenses. He was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison and will not be eligible for parole until 2050.
“There are some emotional scars from it. We’re still working through it,” Shapiro told Wallace, adding that his son asked him if they were targeted for their Jewish faith.
Shapiro, who is rumored to be considering running for president in 2028, addressed the 2024 presidential election, when he was under consideration as former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. He praised Harris, who ultimately selected Walz, but spoke about the intense vetting process he went through. Shapiro said someone on Harris’ team asked him if he was a double agent for Israel — a question he said offended him. Shapiro revealed he eventually told Harris to take him out of consideration.
Shapiro added: “I think the country would have been far better off had they won the election.”
Shapiro ended the interview with a call to action to the country: “We need a national referendum on Donald Trump and his policies.”
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.