ABC15 spoke with District 7 Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva on Monday to discuss the recent surge in ICE activity in Minnesota.
Rep. Grijalva, who recently traveled to Minneapolis alongside other House Democrats, says one of her big takeaways is how organized Minnesotans have been throughout this ordeal.
"I learned a lot from what they've had to deal with in terms of getting communities together," explains Congresswoman Grijalva. "Also, having trainings for people who want to be observers. I think that is critically important. But also to show a roadmap and a blueprint of what many of our communities are going to have to deal with and face in a very short period of time. We already are seeing an increased presence in Phoenix, and we're seeing an increased presence in Tucson, and that is going to continue. When we look at some of the tactics ICE is using, I think it's an important opportunity for us to learn from what is going on in Minnesota."
Rep. Grijalva told ABC15's Nick Ciletti that she will continue to work together with her Democratic colleagues - and also mentioned that she reached across the aisle and contacted the office of Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a Republican from District 6, to have a bipartisan meeting regarding the Tohono O'odham Nation, as much of the Tohono O'odham Nation straddles the U.S - Mexico border.
"I think that's important to understand that every community's needs will be different, and the kind of presence ICE is going to have is also critically important for us to have a voice there."
ABC15 reached out to every Arizona Republican in Congress to get a reaction to the situation in Minnesota over the weekend, requesting either an interview or a statement, but did not hear back from any of them.
On social media, District 8 Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh posted on X, saying in part, "Democrats welcomed an INVASION at our border. Now, they're weaponizing their militant base to impede law enforcement and block President Trump from fixing this disaster."
District 5 Republican Rep. Andy Biggs also re-posted something that President Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social, adding, "The madness must end. Follow the law—stop interfering with federal law enforcement officers."
Pres. Trump and other members of the Trump Administration have been quick to call out Democrats, saying they are the ones who need to "lower the temperature" and help bring peace to the situation - a claim Democrats flatly deny.
"Democrats did not put another military presence in Minnesota," explains Rep. Grijalva. "Trump did. They are elevating the rhetoric. They are elevating the temperature. They're the ones aggravating the situation on the ground there in Minnesota...Trump and ICE need to leave Minnesota. That's the only way the temperature is going to come down."
