Minneapolis Outrage: ICE Agents on Leave After Killing of Alex Pretti — A Catalyst for Calls to Abolish ICE

Minneapolis Erupts After Federal Agents Kill Alex Pretti — Two Agents Placed on Leave

In the latest flashpoint of federal immigration enforcement gone wrong, two U.S. federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Jeffrey Pretti have been placed on administrative leave, prompting renewed demands to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and end militarized immigration policing.

Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed on 24 January 2026 by officers deployed under the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown — an operation widely criticized as heavy-handed and unjustified. Since then, community vigils and protests have spread across Minneapolis and beyond, with activists decrying the federal government’s treatment of local communities, immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.

What Actually Happened: A Murder, Not Enforcement

Unlike official talking points, video footage and eyewitness testimony suggest that Pretti was not a violent aggressor at the time he was shot. Multiple bystanders — and bystander video reviewed by news outlets — show Pretti holding a cell phone, not brandishing a weapon, when agents tackled him.

As he attempted to help a woman who had been pushed by agents, Pretti was sprayed with chemicals, shoved to the ground and then fatally shot. This was the second deadly shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota within weeks, following the killing of Renee Nicole Good earlier in January.

Placing the agents on leave is standard procedure, according to the Department of Homeland Security — but critics argue this amounts to little more than a paid vacation while the community reels from an unlawful killing.

Why This Matters: A Campaign to End ICE

The Pretti killing has become one of the most compelling arguments yet for abolishing ICE. Polling released in recent days reveals a notable increase in public support for ending the agency, cutting across traditional political lines. A YouGov poll showed support for abolishing ICE has surged among both Democrats and Republicans in the wake of the Minneapolis shootings.

Community activists, civil rights organizations and local leaders have condemned the federal response as an example of unchecked militarized enforcement that disproportionately harms communities of color and undermines trust in law enforcement. Many argue that federal immigration agents should be removed entirely from cities like Minneapolis, where local authorities and residents feel unsafe around ICE presence.

Recent developments underscore this grassroots backlash — even some local Republican figures have publicly criticized the federal surge as unconstitutional and counterproductive.

Wider Backlash Against ICE Tactics

Outrage over the killings has sparked cultural resistance as well. Prominent voices in the arts — including Bruce Springsteen — have released protest music and statements directly condemning federal immigration enforcement and dedicating their work to Pretti and Good.

Meanwhile, ICE has reportedly issued directives advising its agents not to engage with “agitators” or protesters after a wave of negative publicity and legal pressure, reflecting a tactical retreat in the face of public outcry.

Communities Demand Justice and Accountability

For many advocates, administrative leave for the agents is far from sufficient. Organizers and family supporters are calling for:

• Full transparency in the investigation into Pretti’s killing

• Criminal charges against federal agents whose actions resulted in the death of a U.S. citizen

• Legislative action to dismantle ICE and reallocate enforcement resources to community-based safety programs

• Federal withdrawal from Minneapolis and other cities resisting the immigration crackdown

Grassroots campaigns have proliferated online and in local activism circles with calls to pressure elected officials, boycott contractors tied to ICE, and support national legal cases challenging federal immigration authority.

The Movement Grows

The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good have become more than tragic headlines — they are rallying points for a growing movement against federal immigration enforcement practices perceived as draconian, racist and dangerously unchecked. From increasing calls to abolish ICE to broader political fallout that includes national polls and election impacts, the Minneapolis shootings are reshaping the debate on immigration policy in America.