Democrat Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh seems to be following the lead of self-described socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, building his campaign largely around opposition to President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Fateh outlined his bold vision for Minneapolis, which includes freezing rent prices, rapidly increasing the minimum wage, and refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. In a video posted on X, he highlighted his efforts to secure free college tuition and legalize fentanyl testing strips—measures critics argue could implicitly condone drug use. Fateh also emphasized his commitment to shielding the city from what he calls a "hostile White House" and protecting communities from President Trump’s policies. He aims to raise the minimum wage by $20 by 2028. According to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, Fateh is the son of Somali immigrants and the first Muslim to serve in the state senate.
Fateh doubled down on his stance against federal immigration enforcement, stating that he would prevent the Minneapolis Police Department from cooperating with ICE.
Is Minneapolis about to get their own version of Zohran Mamdani? pic.twitter.com/LKnKuPvRk9
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 14, 2025
"Protecting all of our communities from Donald Trump means not letting MPD interact with ICE, whether it’s for an immigration raid or not. Our residents deserve a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and say, ‘no, not in our community,'” he said.
Fateh’s campaign closely mirrors Mamdani’s, who promised to challenge Trump’s immigration enforcement and provide extensive free services—moves critics say would increase government dependency. Mamdani also proposed raising New York City’s minimum wage to $30 and launching government-run initiatives, such as free grocery stores and public transit. However, the president has already warned that Mamdani could face arrest if he obstructs ICE operations.
