Jan 26, 2026: Protests against the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continued in Minneapolis and several other American cities on Sunday, as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz renewed calls for President Donald Trump to withdraw federal immigration officers from the state.
Walz said the country had reached a critical moment and warned that current actions risk deepening national divisions.
President Trump, however, responded by demanding that Minnesota authorities hand over all undocumented immigrants currently held in state prisons for deportation.
He also urged Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to formally cooperate with federal immigration enforcement rather than resist it.
Tensions have escalated following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The incident has sparked widespread political debate and public outrage. Federal officials said Pretti was shot after allegedly brandishing a firearm, but local authorities disputed that claim, stating that the weapon was legally owned and had already been removed before the shooting occurred.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told the BBC that federal agents prevented state investigators from accessing the scene, even after a search warrant had been secured.
He said Minnesota law enforcement agencies had cooperated with federal authorities for years, but recent events were undermining trust and hindering joint investigations.
US Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino rejected that account, accusing city and state officials of attempting to obstruct federal law enforcement operations.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice issued subpoenas last week to Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, alleging they had interfered with federal immigration enforcement. The subpoenas followed a separate fatal shooting earlier this month involving ICE agents.
In an interview published by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, President Trump suggested that ICE agents might eventually be withdrawn from the Minneapolis area, though he offered no timeline.
He said the administration was reviewing the circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death and promised a formal determination.
The Trump administration has labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” a claim strongly rejected by his family.
In a statement, relatives described the allegations as false and deeply offensive, emphasizing that Pretti had no criminal record apart from minor traffic violations, according to court documents cited by the Associated Press.
Pretti’s mother, Susan Pretti, told the AP that her son was deeply concerned about environmental protection and opposed what he viewed as harmful rollbacks of environmental regulations.
She said he loved his country but was troubled by actions he believed were damaging the land and public trust. On Sunday evening, Trump posted on Truth Social demanding cooperation from Democratic governors and mayors nationwide, accusing them of fueling division and disorder.
He again called on Congress to eliminate so-called sanctuary cities, which limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The president’s remarks followed criticism from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who accused Governor Walz of encouraging unrest and allowing activists to monitor federal officers during lawful operations.
Opposition to the administration’s immigration crackdown has also emerged within the Republican Party. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt told CNN that the public was increasingly concerned about federal enforcement tactics and accountability.
He said the president was receiving poor advice, though decisions regarding ICE deployment ultimately rested with the White House.
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy described the Minneapolis shooting as deeply troubling, warning that public confidence in ICE and the Department of Homeland Security was at risk.
Democrats, meanwhile, have threatened to block a major government funding bill if it includes allocations for the Department of Homeland Security, raising the possibility of another federal shutdown.
While many Minnesotans interviewed by the BBC expressed opposition to ICE operations, national polling suggests the country remains divided.
Surveys indicate that roughly half of US voters support Trump’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, though opinions vary sharply on the methods being used.
A recent Politico poll found that about half of respondents believed the administration’s mass deportation campaign had become overly aggressive.
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