US President Donald Trump has indicated that federal immigration agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), may eventually be pulled out of Minnesota in the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti.
Trump’s remarks, made in a brief interview with The Wall Street Journal, came amid mounting pressure from state leaders and public protests demanding an end to aggressive immigration enforcement in the state.
Trump told the WSJ that his administration is “reviewing everything” related to Pretti’s death and that federal agents would leave the Minneapolis area “at some point,” although he did not specify a timeline or conditions for such a withdrawal. Trump also reiterated his defence of immigration enforcement, criticising local officials and blaming political opponents for contributing to disorder.
What is known about Alex Pretti’s shooting?
Pretti was shot on January 24 by a US Border Patrol agent while federal immigration agents were conducting operations in south Minneapolis.
The incident has sparked intense controversy, with video circulating that appears to contradict official claims about the circumstances of the shooting. Pretti, who was legally armed and working as an ICU nurse, was acting as an observer and bystander rather than a threat at the time he was killed, critics claimed, according to The Washington Post.
The White House has framed the situation differently, defending ICE’s mission and insisting that officers acted in self-defence.
‘Pull ICE out’
Minnesota officials have been vocal in their calls for federal agents to be removed from the state. Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis city leaders have condemned the shooting and questioned the deployment of ICE and Border Patrol agents, arguing that federal enforcement actions have escalated tensions rather than ensured public safety.
Walz has repeatedly urged Trump to pull ICE agents out of Minnesota, saying the presence of thousands of federal officers is unnecessary and dangerous.
“President Trump, you can end this today. Pull these folks back; do humane, focused, effective immigration control – you’ve got the support of all of us to do that,” Walz said. “Please show some decency. Pull these folks out,” he said.
Protests engulf Minnesota
Local protests have continued, with demonstrators decrying the federal response and calling for accountability. Some unions and advocacy groups have also joined the call for ICE to leave Minnesota, citing concerns about further violence and community safety, Business Insider reported.