Anti-ICE Protests Erupt Across US Cities Following Fatal Shootings
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and other major US cities on 30 January as part of nationwide demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement. The protests follow the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by federal agents, sparking public outrage and calls for accountability.
The demonstrations, part of the “National Shutdown,” also took place in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC. Organizers urged Americans to abstain from work, school, and shopping while demanding an end to federal funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Good, a nurse, was killed by an ICE agent on 7 January, while Pretti, 37, became the second Minneapolis resident to die at the hands of federal immigration officials in recent weeks. The US Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death.
Protesters in Minneapolis staged dramatic demonstrations, including forming the letters “SOS” on a frozen Lake Bde Maka Ska. Other groups marched through city streets carrying a large-scale replica of the US Constitution’s preamble. Musician Bruce Springsteen performed a new song, Streets of Minneapolis, in tribute to Good and Pretti.
Federal authorities, under Operation Metro Surge, deployed roughly 3,000 agents to Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security says the operation targets the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens” to restore public safety, but critics argue US citizens and migrants with clean records are being caught in the sweep.
Border enforcement chief Tom Homan indicated that federal forces could reduce their presence if local officials cooperate, emphasizing that the mission continues “smarter, not surrendered.” President Donald Trump reiterated his commitment to national safety, stating, “We will keep our country safe, we’ll do whatever we can to keep our country safe.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have urged federal agents to withdraw, citing community safety concerns and the rising tension caused by the enforcement initiative.
The anti-ICE protests mark one of the largest coordinated demonstrations against immigration enforcement in recent US history, reflecting growing public anger over federal tactics and the deaths of Good, Pretti, and others, including Silverio Villegas-Gonzales, who was shot by an ICE agent in September 2025.
