Hundreds of Minneapolis residents gathered in Whittier Park Saturday evening to protest the continued presence of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, following a second fatal shooting of a legal observer in three weeks. One speaker, Edwin Torres DeSantiago of the Immigrant Defense Network, declared, “This is a turning point.”
Escalating Concerns Over Federal Agent Conduct
Torres DeSantiago spoke hours after federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, after he attempted to assist a woman an officer had pushed to the ground. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention echoed Torres DeSantiago’s sentiment, stating that agents of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection have been arresting both immigrants and US citizens, and have opened fire nearly two dozen times in cities including Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles, resulting in at least six deaths, including Pretti’s.
The Lemkin Institute further asserted that these federal agents, recruited by the Trump administration with recruitment materials framing the situation as a choice between “homeland” and “invasion,” are “loyal agents of Nazis and white supremacists within the Republican Party” and “enemies both of the Constitution and of the American people.”
Investigations and Political Fallout
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would investigate the shooting, taking the lead from the FBI. However, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reported that DHS representatives initially blocked access to the crime scene despite a valid judicial search warrant. The bureau, along with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, subsequently filed a lawsuit to prevent the “destruction of evidence” by DHS.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, called on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to direct the city’s police department to take control of the investigation and protect protesters from potential ICE violence. Mitchell stated that ICE must end its operations in Minnesota and turn over all evidence related to both this shooting and the prior shooting of Renee Good to local authorities.
Administration officials maintained that Pretti “approached” federal agents with a gun, a claim contradicted by video footage showing him holding a phone. Footage also shows an agent retrieving a firearm from the scuffle after pepper-spraying Pretti.
Despite the video evidence, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem repeated a claim made earlier regarding the shooting of Renee Good: “Fearing for his life and the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots.”
Stephen Miller, a former advisor to President Trump, claimed without evidence that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist” attempting to assassinate federal law enforcement, while Trump called Pretti a “gunman.”
Funding Debate and Potential Government Shutdown
The shooting occurred days after seven Democrats joined Republicans in passing a funding bill for DHS without restrictions on ICE, despite growing opposition to the agency’s operations. The bill requires Senate approval and is one of several measures needed by January 30 to prevent a government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Senate Democrats would not support the appropriations bill if it includes DHS funding. Senator Mark Warner echoed this sentiment, stating he would not vote to fund DHS while the administration continues “violent federal takeovers of our cities.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the protest in Minneapolis?
The protest was prompted by the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents, following a second such incident in less than three weeks.
What is the Lemkin Institute’s assessment of the situation?
The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention asserts that ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents are acting as “loyal agents of Nazis and white supremacists” and are behaving as enemies of the Constitution and the American people.
What is the status of the investigation into the shooting?
The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the shooting, but the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has filed a lawsuit to prevent DHS from obstructing the investigation and destroying evidence.
As the debate over funding and oversight intensifies, what impact will these events have on the future of immigration enforcement policies?
