Minneapolis Protests Against ICE Intensify as Governor Urges Trump to Remove Agents

Minneapolis: Protests against ICE continued in Minneapolis and several other US cities on Sunday following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the situation as an “inflection point” for the country and renewed his demand for US President Donald Trump to remove Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from the city.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Pretti was shot after allegedly brandishing a firearm. However, local authorities disputed this claim, confirming that the gun was legally registered and that Pretti was shot after it had already been removed.

President Trump indicated he may eventually withdraw ICE agents from Minneapolis but did not provide a timeline. “At some point we will leave,” Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, adding that agents had done a “phenomenal job.”

Multiple vigils were held across Minneapolis over the weekend. The incident marks the second fatal shooting in the city linked to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations this month.

Demonstrators of all ages marched through city streets chanting slogans such as “ICE out now” and “Minneapolis on strike,” as protests against ICE spread to cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

More than 60 Minnesota-based companies, including 3M, Best Buy, and Target, signed an open letter urging an immediate de-escalation of tensions and cooperation between federal and local authorities.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said state officers were blocked from accessing the shooting scene by federal agents, despite having a valid search warrant, raising concerns over inter-agency coordination.

The Trump administration has defended the ICE operation as a public safety effort targeting undocumented criminals, while critics argue that US citizens and migrants with no criminal records are also being affected.

Pretti’s family rejected the administration’s claims, stating he had no criminal record and calling the accusations “reprehensible and disgusting.”

Political backlash continues to grow, with lawmakers from both parties expressing concern over ICE tactics, while Democrats have threatened to block federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security if reforms are not addressed.