Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is getting slammed by the public after comments she made about the Laken Riley Act at a recent rally in Rochester. While speaking at the event, Flanagan criticized the legislation, describing it as one that strips “due process away from immigrants” and allows both adults and children to be held in detention for extended periods. The video, posted by RNC Research, now circulating on X, has drawn hundreds of thousands of views.
During her speech, Flanagan also argued that the law gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “unprecedented power to totally terrorize our communities.”
The Laken Riley Act, which was introduced as a priority measure, requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain certain undocumented individuals accused of crimes such as burglary, theft, or shoplifting. It also gives states the authority to take legal action over federal immigration decisions that they believe have caused harm.
The bill is named after a nursing student who was reportedly killed in 2024 by an undocumented immigrant while she was out running on a college campus in Georgia.
Flanagan’s Remarks Called ‘Sickening’ by Critics
The video has since triggered strong reactions online, with one person on X calling the Minnesota lieutenant governor’s comments “totally disrespectful and disgusting.” Another wrote, “You should be ashamed of yourself not proud.” A third added, “This woman should NOT be holding office. Americans should be her priority, but she cares for illegals.”
Someone else said, “This is the most vile, sickening thing any human could say or do. Laken Riley did nothing wrong,” while another questioned, “How irresponsible can these women in office be?”
A few people, however, argued that the legislation itself was being politicized. “MAGA doesn’t care, it’s just using a murdered girl to win political brownie points,” one netizen said.
Aside from Flanagan, other organizations have also criticized the Laken Riley Act, including the National Immigration Law Center, which called it a “manifestation of cynical politics” that seeks to “scapegoat immigrants.”
