Walz Demands Trump Halt ICE Operations in Minnesota

A federal agent cordons off the area as people gather at the scene of a shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026.

Tim Evans | Reuters

Minnesota Gov. Tim⁢ Walz on Saturday called on President Donald Trump⁢ to end sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the state after a second fatal shooting this month by federal ‍agents in ⁢minneapolis.

“I just spoke with ⁢the White House⁣ after another horrific shooting by federal agents this⁢ morning,” Walz wrote in a post on X. “Minnesota has had it. This ⁤is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out ⁤of Minnesota. Now.”

At a briefing Saturday afternoon, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara⁣ said authorities had identified the victim as a 37-year-old white male and Minneapolis resident, adding that the man had no⁢ known criminal history beyond traffic citations. The man was later identified as ⁣ICU nurse Alex Pretti by his parents and the Associated press.

“The only ⁣interaction that we are aware of with law enforcement has been for traffic tickets, ‍and we believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit,” O’Hara said, though he noted details surrounding the encounter remain under review.

O’Hara said‍ his ⁢department⁢ has been in⁢ touch with the Department of Homeland Security, but that it has not provided⁢ specific details around the incident itself.

The latest shooting adds to a tense standoff between Minnesota authorities and federal immigration agents that has persisted for weeks. Earlier this month, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a‍ 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, during an enforcement action, which ⁣triggered widespread protests and‍ accelerated political backlash⁢ against the federal operation.

“At 9:05 AM CT,as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against⁣ an⁢ illegal alien wanted for violent ⁣assault,” a DHS spokesperson ‍said‍ in a statement on X.”An individual approached US ⁤Border‍ Patrol officers with a 9 mm⁣ semi-automatic handgun, seen here.”

A handgun which the ⁣Department of⁤ Homeland Security says was recovered from a man who was shot during his arrest,is seen in a location given as Minneapolis,Minnesota,U.S., in this ‍handout picture ⁢released on ⁣Jan. 24, 2026.

Homeland Security Via X | Via Reuters

Federal agents⁢ attempted to disarm the suspect but the suspect violently resisted, DHS said: “More details on ⁤the armed ‍struggle are forthcoming.”

About 200 protestors ‍arrived at the ‍scene, ⁢the department said, and “crowd control measures were deployed ⁤for the ⁣safety of the public‍ and law ⁢enforcement.”

Customs and Border patrol chief Greg Bovino said⁢ in a news conference Saturday afternoon ‍that the federal agent involved in the shooting has been with the agency for eight years.

Tear gas clouds during clashes between federal agents and community members at the scene of a ⁢shooting involving federal immigration ⁤agents in Minneapolis, ⁢Minnesota, on Jan. 24,2026.⁢

Tim Evans⁣ | Reuters

Trump responded to the shooting ⁣in a Truth social⁢ post, defending the federal op

Here’s a breakdown of⁤ the key⁢ information from the provided text, focusing on ⁤the ⁤events surrounding the ⁢shooting and the differing narratives:

What Happened:

* ICE Operations ⁤&⁤ Protests: ICE (Immigration and customs Enforcement) was conducting operations in Minneapolis, leading to ‍protests.
* the Shooting: A man, identified as pretti, was shot during a confrontation with law enforcement officers. The⁢ circumstances ‍of the shooting⁣ are disputed.
*⁤ Conflicting Accounts:

⁢ * Kristi Noem ⁢(South Dakota Governor): Initially portrayed Pretti as a violent attacker intending ⁤to harm ⁣law enforcement.
* Bystander Videos ⁣(Associated Press): Show a different picture. They depict officers shoving protesters, including the man who was shot. The video shows ⁤escalating physical contact before the shooting, with officers⁤ surrounding and striking the man. The origin ⁤of the shot⁣ is unclear from the video.
* Trump Governance (Stephen Miller): Labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist” attempting to assassinate ⁢federal agents.
⁢ * Local Officials (Sen. Klobuchar, Gov. Walz): Called for ICE to cease ⁣operations in Minnesota, citing disruption and safety concerns.

Key Details from the Videos:

* Protesters were verbally ‍confronting agents.
* ⁤An officer shoved a person, who then linked arms with the man who was later shot.
* The officer shoved the man, causing both to fall.
* Multiple officers ‍surrounded the man, with⁤ some ⁣using physical force (including a canister-wielding officer striking him).
* Shots were fired while officers were surrounding the man.

Response & Aftermath:

* Investigation: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will investigate the shooting,not the FBI.
* ⁢ National Guard Activation: Governor Walz activated the Minnesota National ‍Guard to support law enforcement and ensure a safe environment ‍for protests.
* Public Urging: Minneapolis officials asked the public to avoid the⁤ area.

In essence, the article ⁤highlights a critically important discrepancy between the initial claims made by some officials (Noem, Miller) and the evidence presented ‍in ⁤bystander videos, raising questions about the narrative surrounding the shooting. It also⁢ shows the political fallout, with calls ⁤for ICE to leave the⁤ state.