MINNEAPOLIS, United States — Protests continued across Minneapolis and several major US cities on Sunday following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, deepening a political and legal standoff between Minnesota leaders and the Trump administration.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the moment as an “inflection point” for the country and renewed calls for President Donald Trump to withdraw federal immigration agents from Minneapolis, saying their continued presence was fuelling unrest and undermining public trust.
President Trump responded by demanding that Walz “turn over all Criminal Illegal Aliens” held in Minnesota state prisons for deportation, accusing Democratic leaders of obstructing federal law enforcement.
The shooting occurred on Saturday during what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as a “targeted” immigration operation. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said agents fired in self-defence after Pretti allegedly “brandished” a handgun.
Local authorities, eyewitnesses and Pretti’s family strongly dispute that account. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told the BBC that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with no criminal record beyond minor traffic violations and that officers were prevented by federal agents from accessing the shooting scene, despite having obtained a search warrant.
“It is legal in Minnesota to carry a handgun in public with a permit,” O’Hara said, adding that state and local agencies had worked closely with federal law enforcement for years, but that the current situation was straining cooperation.
Pretti’s family rejected the administration’s claim that he was a “domestic terrorist”, calling the allegation “reprehensible and disgusting”.
“Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man,” the family said, noting that court records show no criminal history.
Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that his administration was “reviewing everything” surrounding Pretti’s death and said it would “come out with a determination”. He also suggested that ICE agents might eventually be withdrawn from Minneapolis, without providing a timeline.
“At some point we will leave,” Trump said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job.”
The shooting has exposed divisions within the Republican Party. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said Americans were watching fellow citizens being shot on television and warned that “federal tactics and accountability” had become a growing concern for voters. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy described the killing as “incredibly disturbing” and said the credibility of ICE and DHS was at stake.
Democrats have threatened to block a key government financing package if it includes funding for DHS, raising the possibility of another federal government shutdown.
On Sunday evening, hundreds of protesters braved freezing temperatures in Minneapolis, as armed and masked federal agents used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds. Demonstrations have since spread to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with placards reading “Justice for Alex” and “Abolish ICE”.
More than 60 Minnesota-based companies, including 3M, Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth Group, signed an open letter calling for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions” and urging federal and state officials to work together.
The controversy follows weeks of friction between federal agents and local communities monitoring immigration raids. Earlier this month, ICE agents shot dead Renee Good, another Minneapolis resident, during similar tensions.
While polls suggest roughly half of Americans support President Trump’s deportation agenda, surveys also show voters are sharply divided over the methods being used.
As investigations continue, the Pretti case has become a national flashpoint over immigration enforcement, gun rights, federal authority and the limits of force — with Minneapolis once again at the centre of a defining American debate.
