Another Street Execution: ICE Murders on Minneapolis Streets

Malik MIah

Posted January 27, 2026

Following the murder of Alex Pretti, ICE and Border Patrol agents observe protesters. Pretti was the second person killed by federal agents and the third person shot. The week after the death of Renee Good on January 7, agents shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg but the Venezuelan man survived. (Chad Davis CC BY 4.0)

ON SATURDAY MORNING, January 24th, Alex Jeffrey Pretti was on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, filming with his phone masked ICE agents as they interacted with a group protesting their presence.

Observing that one of the agents shoved a protester to the ground, he placed himself between the two and reached to help her up. The goon pepper sprayed Pretti as others moved in, grabbing him from the back and forcing him down. Although he tried once more to help the woman, he was hit several times with the spray canister as the goons continued to pummel him.

A grey-coated figure slipped in to remove the handgun holstered on Pretti’s right side and skedaddled across the street as the first shot was fired.

We know this because we have watched multiple videos that show his execution as 10 bullets targeted him in five seconds. The 37-year-old Intensive Care Unit nurse bled out on the street.

Alex Pretti worked as an ICU nurse at the Veterans Administration Hospital.

Just hours later Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti “attacked” ICE officers, and Greg Bovino, the senior U.S. Customs and Border Patrol official overseeing the crackdowns in Minneapolis, claimed Pretti wanted to “massacre law enforcement.”

Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, declared Pretti was a “domestic terrorist.” After Renee Good’s death on January 7th, he’d labeled her a “domestic terrorist” too.

Posting on his social media site, Trump blamed the city and state local leaderships for “inciting insurrection” and defended the agents as “patriots.”

A Crumbling Coverup

Just as in the case of Good, Homeland Security announced that it will block state and local investigators and carry out the investigation themselves.

Denied access to evidence, including the murdered victim’s mobile phone and legally registered handgun, the state asked a judge to prevent the destruction of any evidence.

Trump is clearly using a force of federal armed agents, without wearing IDs and fully masked, to conduct his policies across the country. If they can terrorize immigrants and those who stand with them, the far right will have been able to flatten democratic rights.

But as the coverup crumbled and nationwide outrage grew, the government announced thar Bovino would be leaving Minnesota and “immigration czar” Thomas Homan would take his place.

Noem demanded that Minnesota turn over its voter rolls, SNAP benefit and Medicaid records in exchange for ICE leaving — showing
exactly what the administration’s agenda is about.

ICE Out!

Before the Saturday killing, the big news had occurred the day before with mass nonviolent actions and a one-day strike. Somewhere between 50,000-100,000 marched and rallied in -10 F weather with wind chills reaching -20 F.

The “Day of Truth & Freedom” was planned in the aftermath of the Renee Good murder. Earlier in the week, agents had arrested a kindergarten student after detaining his dad –- who’s been in the country legally awaiting an asylum hearing — and used the five-year-old as bait to entrap family members.

The Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO along with other labor bodies throughout the state endorsed the action, as did the Minneapolis city council. Hundreds of local businesses were closed in solidarity while in other cases people called in sick to join the action.

Cultural institutions — including the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Science Museum Minnesota, and the Minnesota Children’s Museum also closed their doors for the day.

The “no work, no school, no shopping” blackout day of protest was kicked off by community leaders, faith leaders, and labor unions with a civil disobedience action.

Holding photos of SEIU and UNITE HERE members whom ICE had abducted, they blocked a road outside of the departure terminal at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, calling for an end to Delta and Signature Aviation complicity in the deportations. About 100 people were arrested.

The day culminated with a march downtown and an indoor rally. In chants and speeches, the demands were clear: ICE needs to leave Minnesota; Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good, is to be “held legally accountable;” no further federal funding for ICE in the upcoming congressional budget; investigate ICE for its human and constitutional violations.

Democrats in the U.S. Senate have the power to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security in a coming appropriations vote. Will widespread popular anger force them to do so?

Accountability Now!

Thousands of Minnesota residents, including many who do not normally identify as activists, have protested the federal government’s actions in the weeks since DHS sent ICE and Border Protection agents into the Twin Cities area.

They say federal agents have detained U.S. citizens as well as legal immigrants, pulled people from their cars, smashed their windows, and used chemical irritants on people demonstrating against them or who were monitoring their work.

The Department of Homeland Security claimed to have made 3000 arrests in Minnesota over the past six weeks. That represents one person arrested for each agent deployed.

Additionally, there were 1500 soldiers on standby. The majority of those arrested in Minneapolis (and nationally) have no criminal record. Many have applied for asylum and are awaiting their hearing. Others had temporary status because of disasters or war in their country — but Trump revoked their status.

Recent polls indicate most of the population is opposed to Trump’s ICE policies. The only exception is registered Republicans, the core of Trump’s base – and even there, supporters of gun rights are angry. Pretti’s gun was registered — and he hadn’t used it to defend himself — so why are officials portraying him a terrorist?

The American people are tired of being gaslit by the Trump government. State terror is not working. Even the New York Times editorial board said the “Lying” must stop.

As Trump’s regime shows its brutal authoritarian colors, more people are hitting the streets and demanding accountability.

(This article is based on reporting by news media on the ground and national news media including The Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post and Minneapolis Star Tribune.)