Minneapolis democratic socialist Omar Fateh declares commitment to safeguarding undocumented immigrants against hostile policies of Trump administration
Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Omar Fateh Advocates for Progressive Change
In a recent interview with KARE 11 News, democratic socialist Omar Fateh, running for Mayor of Minneapolis, outlined his priorities for the city. If elected, Fateh's first priority would be protecting illegal immigrants from the hostile federal government.
Fateh, who hails from Somalia, has pledged to issue legal IDs to undocumented immigrants should he become mayor. He also opposes cooperation between the Minneapolis Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly enforcement actions linked to the previous Trump administration.
In terms of public safety, Fateh's second priority, he envisions a system that works for everyone, with an accountable police force and a police force that is an important part of the public safety system. However, he wants to replace some police department duties with community-led alternatives, like social workers, for non-violent 911 calls. Fateh supported a 2021 ballot initiative to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a Department of Public Safety, but he does not currently support outright abolition. Instead, his 2025 platform includes increasing public safety resources while emphasizing non-police intervention for certain types of calls.
Fateh's platform also includes affordable housing policies. He supports rent stabilization, increasing housing density, and "just cause" eviction protections, citing evictions as a major contributor to homelessness. He also opposes homeless encampment sweeps and supports sanitary services at encampment sites, aiming for compassionate and practical approaches to homelessness.
In addition, Fateh has pledged to raise Minneapolis's minimum wage to $20 per hour and to tax wealthy residents with incomes over $1 million to pay their "fair share." He also aims to expand the city's affordable housing supply.
Fateh has received endorsements from the Minnesota Democratic Party (DFL) and the Democratic Socialists of America. Some have dubbed him the "Mamdani of Minneapolis," in reference to Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is running for mayor in New York City. Like Mamdani, Fateh identifies as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is the child of immigrants.
However, Fateh denies that his policies are radical. In an interview with our reporter Anders Hagstrom, he stated, "I am offering practical solutions to the problems facing our city. I am not proposing radical changes without a plan to implement them."
Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
[1] The Star Tribune
[2] KARE 11 News
[3] MPR News
[4] City Pages
[5] The Minnesota Reformer
Breaking news: Omar Fateh, a Minneapolis mayoral candidate, advocates for progressive change, with his policy-and-legislation priorities including protecting illegal immigrants, affordable housing, and raising the minimum wage. In addition, he is pushing for general news coverage surrounding his principles and endorsements from organizations like the Democratic Socialists of America.
