MINNESOTA Janaury 25, 2026 – In an emotional press conference on Sunday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addressed the state and nation, praising Minnesotans for their peaceful protests amid escalating tensions with federal immigration agents. The governor’s remarks came just 24 hours after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old VA nurse, by a Border Patrol agent during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
This incident marks the second death involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the city within days, intensifying calls for the removal of federal forces deployed under the Trump administration’s “Operation Metro Surge.”
Walz, speaking from the State Emergency Operations Center flanked by state officials including Attorney General Keith Ellison, highlighted the lives of the victims. He described Pretti as a “generous, service-oriented” individual who worked to care for veterans and was present as a “First Amendment witness” to ICE activities when he was killed. The governor also referenced the earlier death of Renee Good, a poet and mother, whose last words were reportedly, “I’m not mad at you.” “We’ve got two Minnesotans dead,” Walz stated. “What is the plan, Donald Trump? What do we need to do to get these federal agents out of our state?
The governor accused the federal government of sowing “fear, violence, and chaos” through the deployment of approximately 3,000 “untrained” agents, urging President Trump to withdraw them immediately to prevent further loss of life. “You thought fear, violence, and chaos is what you wanted from us, but you underestimated the people of this state and nation,” Walz said. “We are tired but resolved, peaceful but will never forget, angry but won’t give up hope.” He emphasized Minnesota’s commitment to law and order while criticizing the operations as neither “common sense, lawful, nor humane.”
The shootings have sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis, with thousands braving sub-zero temperatures to demand “ICE out of Minnesota.” Demonstrations have included marches, general strikes, and confrontations where protesters threw snowballs at agents, who responded with tear gas and less-lethal munitions. Some online voices have called for more aggressive actions, echoing past unrest, but Walz urged protesters to remain peaceful, stating, “Change is coming, and we can feel it.”
The Trump administration has pushed back against Walz’s demands. White House officials accused the governor of “undermining law enforcement” and blocking ICE cooperation, claiming his policies have led to the release of nearly 500 criminal undocumented immigrants. Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf criticized Walz for portraying himself as powerless, stating, “That’s not the case.” ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) held a joint press conference defending the operations, asserting that the shootings involved threats to agents, though videos have contradicted some official accounts.
Legal efforts are underway, with a judge ordering federal authorities to preserve evidence from the shootings. Minnesota officials, including Ellison, have vowed that the state’s justice system “will have the last word.” The incidents have renewed debates over immigration enforcement, with a recent memo revealing ICE agents’ authority to enter homes without judicial warrants.
As tensions rise, Walz posed a stark question to Americans: “What side do you want to be on? The side of a powerful federal government that can kill, injure, menace, and kidnap its citizens off the streets, or the side of a nurse at a VA hospital who died bearing witness?” The governor’s office continues to coordinate with local law enforcement, but the focus remains on de-escalating federal involvement.
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