MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Minneapolis shooting during federal immigration raid triggers U.S. nationwide backlash

The case of the 37-year-old nurse murdered by ICE agents threatens to become a new test for the boundaries between federal authority, state autonomy, and public trust

Protesters returned to the streets of Minneapolis demanding accountability after Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive-care nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot dead during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Multiple videos of the incident are now central to official reviews, as the episode triggers a fresh political clash between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and the Trump administration—set against a broader national fight over “sanctuary” policies and how far local authorities should cooperate with federal immigration agencies.

Walz renewed his call for President Donald Trump to withdraw federal agents from Minnesota, calling the shooting “an inflection point” for the country. Trump, in turn, escalated pressure on state and city leaders. In a Truth Social post, he demanded that Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey hand over for deportation “criminal illegal aliens” held in state prisons and jails—an argument that echoes the administration’s wider campaign against jurisdictions that limit cooperation with ICE and other federal agencies.

Conflicting accounts as videos drive the investigation

State and federal officials have offered competing narratives about the moments before the fatal shot on Saturday. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti was killed because he was “brandishing” a gun. Local officials have countered that the weapon was legally registered and that the core question is whether Pretti displayed it as a threat—or was disarmed before the shooting.

New “angle” video shows moments before federal agents’ shooting that killed a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, near Glam Doll Donuts.

Minneapolis police say he was a gun owner with a valid permit to carry; DHS has said he was armed with a gun and two magazines. #ICE pic.twitter.com/xpy030nt9B

— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) January 24, 2026

On the federal side, Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino urged caution, arguing that an investigation is needed to “establish the facts” given the video evidence. Pretti’s parents, meanwhile, have publicly called for “the truth” about their son’s death.

The broader fault line: sanctuary policies and federal-local limits

The Minnesota standoff comes as the White House intensifies a political and legal push against sanctuary-style restrictions nationwide. In 2025, for example, a federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit challenging Chicago and Illinois sanctuary laws, reinforcing the principle that Washington cannot compel state and local governments to carry out federal immigration enforcement—an argument tied to the Tenth Amendment.

In Minnesota, tensions sharpened further after the state Department of Corrections rebutted federal claims about the criminal background of the person agents said they were trying to detain, calling the public statements “inaccurate” and stating the individual had not been in state prison custody.

What comes next

The inquiry is unfolding amid institutional distrust. Walz has accused federal leaders of smearing the victim to justify force, while federal officials argue the deployment targets crime and facilitates deportations.