Tensions between federal immigration agents and local authorities in Minneapolis escalated sharply after a U.S. citizen was fatally shot during an immigration enforcement operation, prompting protests, legal action, and growing political backlash.
Alex Pretti, 37, was killed on Saturday during a confrontation with federal immigration officers, the second U.S. citizen to die in similar circumstances in the city this month. While officials in President Donald Trump’s administration said agents acted in self-defense, bystander videos circulating online appear to contradict that account, showing Pretti holding a cellphone moments before he was shot.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz renewed calls for the withdrawal of federal immigration agents, describing their operations as unconstitutional and destabilising. The state has asked a federal judge to limit the scope of the enforcement surge, which has seen thousands of armed and masked agents deployed to Minneapolis as part of an unprecedented deportation push.
Local leaders and law enforcement officials publicly questioned the federal version of events, with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara saying video evidence raised serious concerns. Civil rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers echoed those criticisms, warning that aggressive tactics were eroding public trust.
Protests intensified over the weekend, with thousands of residents demanding the removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from the city. A federal judge has ordered authorities to preserve all evidence related to Pretti’s killing as investigations continue.
The White House has defended the operations as necessary for public safety, but the deaths have drawn condemnation from former U.S. presidents, state officials, and business leaders, who are calling for de-escalation and accountability amid rising unrest.
