This rural Minnesota county voted for Trump, but residents say ICE agents "need to leave"
So much coverage on immigration enforcement has focused on the Twin Cities, but rural Minnesotans are also following what's happening.
"I think what's happening is deplorable," said Emma Wettstein of Litchfield, Minnesota.
On Thursday morning, Wettstein and her mom Christina Garcia had breakfast at Swan's Café in Litchfield, one of the bigger communities in Meeker County. President Trump ran on immigration enforcement in 2024, and he won Meeker County, by 30% of the vote.
But for the mother-daughter pair, their minds were on Minneapolis and how federal agents have handled immigration enforcement.
"It makes me very sad," said Garcia. "I can see getting rid of the criminals. I'm all for that. But there's a right way and a wrong way and they're doing it the wrong way and they need to leave."
The women weren't the only ones reacting to the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and the clashes between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and protesters.
Brian Smith of Willmar said he'd like to see ICE back off. He said, along with Dean Rueckert of Grove City, that Mexican immigrants help fill labor voids in central Minnesota.
"Take them so they get licenses and everything else, so they can work here. Instead of throwing them in jail and kicking them out and everything else," said Rueckert.
Further down the cafe counter, Mike Katleck mostly agreed.
"It's just bullying people around. There is no apparent reason for it. You are almost looking for conflict rather than going the other way around," said Katleck.
Across town at the new rec center, pickleball players Troy Weich and Linda Kuhl, both from Hutchinson, shared their thoughts.
"It's really concerning. I don't know if I'd say scared, but I'm really concerned because it escalates. It seems like it's always escalating," said Weich.
Kuhl said both Democrat and Republican leaders are to blame for the added tension.
"They don't want to listen to each other. It's my way or the highway. Kind of feels like that," said Kuhl.
"I think it's really an unfortunate situation," said Dean Urdahl of Litchfield.
Urdahl was a Republican state representative for 22 years. He agrees that state and federal officials need to cooperate for the safety of Minnesotans.
"The ICE officers are trying to enforce federal law. I think most Minnesotans want to see the worst of the worst illegal immigrants taken back and deported," said Urdahl.
