A Republican trial lawyer running for governor in Minnesota dropped out of the race on Monday, saying federal immigration agents’ actions in the state are unconstitutional and have gone too far, and that he can no longer be part of a party that excuses them.
“United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong,” Chris Madel said in a video posted on X, adding, “Driving while Hispanic is not a crime. Neither is driving while Asian.”
Madel—who launched his bid in December because he said he wanted to root out fraud in Minnesota—went on to say that if he kept running as a Republican, he would be going against his own beliefs and that he could no longer stay in the race.
“I have to look my daughters in the eye and tell them, ‘I believe I did what was right.’ And I am doing that today," Madel said, adding that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Minneapolis has been an “unmitigated disaster" as agents carry out unconstitutional raids on people's homes.
Madel's decision came after Trump's immigration goons shot and killed a second American citizen, who had been filming ICE's violent and unconstitutional tactics, leading to more calls for Trump to remove the officers from the North Star State.
Oddly, Madel said he has aided ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good on Jan. 7. “I do this because I believe the constitutional right to counsel is sacrosanct,” Madel said in the video.
As he dropped out, he also issued a warning to the Republican Party, saying that if Trump and the GOP continue immigration enforcement like they are doing in Minnesota, it will spell political doom for the party in his state.
“National Republicans have made it nearly impossible for a Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota,” he said.
A person holds a Minnesota state flag as federal immigration officers deploy tear gas on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.
Of course, Republicans had little shot of winning Minnesota's governorship in 2026. Trump lost the state in 2024, and the cast of characters running is a who's who of lunatics, including pillow magnate and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell.
However, Madel is correct that backlash to Trump's immigration agenda will make it even harder for the GOP in Minnesota and elsewhere.
ICE's tactics have turned public opinion against Trump and his immigration agenda. A YouGov poll released Sunday found that a plurality of Americans now support abolishing ICE, a massive swing.
Only 37% of Americans approve of the job ICE is doing, according to YouGov.
Could Madel be the canary in the coal mine for the GOP, with Trump’s agenda disgusting non-MAGA Republicans enough to cause the bottom to fall out for the party in the midterms?
A Politico poll suggests yes. It found that a plurality of non-MAGA Republicans (43%) support Trump’s deportation goals but not the methods he’s using to carry them out.
Related | Take a stand with our Abolish ICE shirt
If Republicans lose those voters, it’s lights out for the GOP in November.
Indeed, Trump’s own aides fear the immigration mess they’ve created will hurt them at the ballot box.
Of course, Republican lawmakers don’t seem to have caught on to that reality yet. Many are vocally defending Trump’s deportation goons in Minnesota and are slandering Alex Pretti, the intensive-care nurse executed on Saturday.
But November is coming.
