Jacob Frey

Jacob Frey
Born	Jacob Lawrence Frey 23 7, 1981
Birthplace	Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, attorney
Known for	Mayor of Minneapolis, civil rights attorney, distance runner
Education	College of William & Mary (BA) Villanova University (JD)
Children	2
Website	[[jacobfrey.org jacobfrey.org] Official site]

Jacob Lawrence Frey (born July 23, 1981) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 48th mayor of Minneapolis since January 2, 2018. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, Frey was first elected to public office in 2013 as a member of the Minneapolis City Council representing the 3rd ward, a position he held until 2018. He won the mayoral election in 2017 and was subsequently reelected in 2021 and 2025. Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Frey was a competitive distance runner who attended the College of William & Mary on a track and field scholarship before earning a Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University. After moving to Minneapolis, he practiced as an employment discrimination and civil rights attorney. As mayor, Frey has drawn national attention for his leadership during periods of significant civic unrest, and beginning in early 2026, for his public confrontations with the Trump administration over federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

Early Life

Jacob Lawrence Frey was born on July 23, 1981, in Arlington County, Virginia, and was raised in Northern Virginia. He is Jewish.

As a young person, Frey developed a strong interest in distance running. He competed in track and field during high school, where he emerged as a notable competitor. His abilities on the track earned him a scholarship to continue his running career at the collegiate level.

Education

Frey attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he competed on a track and field scholarship as a distance runner. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the institution. During his time at William & Mary, Frey continued to develop as a competitive runner and participated in prominent races.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Frey pursued a legal education at Villanova University, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree. His legal training prepared him for a career in civil rights and employment discrimination law, which he would pursue upon relocating to Minneapolis.

Career

Running Career

Before entering politics or practicing law full-time, Frey pursued distance running at a professional level. He had begun competitive running in high school in Northern Virginia and continued through his collegiate career at the College of William & Mary, where he competed on scholarship. After college, Frey ran professionally, ranking in prominent races and earning an athletic endorsement. His profile as a competitive athlete was tracked by the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics).

Legal Career

After completing his Juris Doctor at Villanova University, Frey relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He established a legal career as an employment discrimination and civil rights attorney, representing clients in cases involving workplace discrimination and related civil liberties issues. He also engaged in lobbying activities, as recorded in Minnesota's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board filings.

Minneapolis City Council (2014–2018)

Frey entered electoral politics in 2013, running for the Minneapolis City Council seat representing the 3rd ward. He won the election, succeeding Diane Hofstede as the ward's council member. He took office on January 2, 2014, and served on the council for a single term before running for mayor. During his tenure on the city council, Frey gained experience in municipal governance and policy development. He was succeeded on the council by Steve Fletcher when he departed to assume the mayor's office.

Mayor of Minneapolis

First Term (2018–2022)

Frey won the 2017 Minneapolis mayoral election, defeating a field of candidates in the city's ranked-choice voting system. He succeeded Betsy Hodges and was inaugurated as the 48th mayor of Minneapolis on January 2, 2018.

Frey's first term in office was marked by significant challenges, including the civic unrest and national reckoning over policing that followed the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. The events placed Minneapolis and Frey at the center of a national and international debate over policing, racial justice, and municipal governance.

Second Term (2022–2026)

Frey was reelected as mayor of Minneapolis in 2021, winning a second term that began in January 2022. His second term continued the work of rebuilding civic institutions and addressing public safety concerns that had arisen during his first term.

Third Term (2026–present)

Frey won reelection for a third term in 2025, though the campaign was not without controversy. The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party revoked its endorsement of Frey's mayoral candidacy during the race, a notable development that attracted coverage from national media outlets. Despite the loss of party endorsement, Frey prevailed in the election and began his third term.

Confrontation with the Trump Administration (2026)

In early 2026, Frey became one of the most prominent local officials in the United States to publicly resist federal immigration enforcement operations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the Trump administration.

On January 7, 2026, an ICE agent fatally shot a woman named Renee Macklin Good during a federal operation in south Minneapolis. Eyewitnesses stated that Good posed "no threat" at the time of the shooting. Mayor Frey publicly condemned the Trump administration and the actions of DHS and ICE in the aftermath of the shooting.

The confrontation escalated in the weeks following the shooting. Frey declared that Minneapolis would not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts, a stance that drew a sharp rebuke from President Donald Trump, who warned that Frey was "playing with fire." In an interview with The Guardian, Frey accused the Trump administration of pursuing a "might is right" policy and described the federal operations in Minneapolis as an "invasion," urging other mayors across the country to "speak up" against what he characterized as federal overreach, warning that "your city is next."

The New Yorker published a lengthy profile of Frey during this period, describing him as "the mayor of an occupied city" and detailing his efforts to protect Minneapolis residents from what the article characterized as aggressive ICE raids. In an interview with The New York Times Magazine, Frey stated his belief that "a terrifying line is being crossed" and spoke about the broader implications of the federal government's actions in Minneapolis for cities across the United States.

The situation further intensified when the United States Department of Justice issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple government officials in Minnesota, including Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The subpoenas were widely interpreted as an effort by the federal government to pressure state and local officials who had resisted cooperation with immigration enforcement operations.

The standoff between Frey and the Trump administration generated significant commentary across the political spectrum. Fox News published an opinion piece arguing that by "spurning Trump," Frey assumed personal ownership of any negative consequences for Minneapolis. The episode elevated Frey's national profile and positioned him as one of the leading municipal voices in the broader debate over the limits of federal authority in American cities.

Personal Life

Frey is married to Sarah Clarke Frey. The couple's first child, a daughter, was born in September 2020. Their second child, a daughter named Frida, was born in 2022. The couple has two children in total.

Frey is Jewish and has spoken publicly about his Jewish identity. In a 2019 interview with The Jerusalem Post, he discussed his background and his experiences as a Jewish mayor of a major American city.

Sarah Clarke Frey has been profiled in Runner's World magazine, reflecting the couple's shared connection to the running community.

Frey's public appearances and profile have been covered on C-SPAN.

Recognition

Frey's tenure as mayor of Minneapolis has attracted sustained national and international media attention. He has been the subject of profiles and interviews in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, CNN, NPR, and other major outlets.

In a 2019 profile, The Jerusalem Post noted his status as one of the more prominent Jewish mayors in the United States and discussed his emergence as a public figure who attracted attention beyond the typical scope of municipal politics.

Frey's public opposition to federal immigration enforcement in early 2026 brought him to particular national prominence, with coverage spanning the full spectrum of American political media from Fox News to The New Yorker. His willingness to publicly challenge the Trump administration's actions in Minneapolis made him one of the most visible mayors in the country during that period.