Minneapolis Leaders Demand ICE Withdrawal After Fatal Border Patrol Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — In the wake of a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, local and state officials have united in calling for the immediate withdrawal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations from Minnesota. The incident, which resulted in the death of Alex Pretti, has intensified scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement activities in the city, prompting a strong response from political leaders.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, speaking at a press conference on Saturday, announced that the city would file a declaration seeking a temporary restraining order to halt ICE operations. “The city of Minneapolis is filing a declaration after today’s shooting to encourage the judge to rule on a temporary restraining order on Monday that would grant us immediate relief and help, would help stop this operation that has been so harmful to the city of Minneapolis,” Frey said. He attributed the recent surge in violence and unrest directly to ICE’s presence and policies implemented under the previous administration.
Joining Frey was Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who emphasized the disproportionate federal enforcement presence in the city. “Our message is really clear and straightforward. We need ICE out of Minnesota,” Klobuchar declared, noting that federal agents outnumber local police “three to one.” The senator’s remarks underscore growing concerns about the impact of federal immigration enforcement on community safety and local governance.
The shooting incident has also drawn attention from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under which both ICE and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operate. DHS officials have reported that agents have faced increasing hostility during enforcement operations, including being rammed by vehicles, which they describe as “aggressively assaulted” situations. Despite these challenges, the fatal shooting has sparked debate over the appropriateness and scale of federal immigration enforcement in urban areas like Minneapolis.
Mayor Frey and Senator Klobuchar’s calls for ICE’s exit come amid broader political tensions surrounding immigration policy and law enforcement jurisdiction. Critics argue that ICE’s operations have contributed to community destabilization and have led to multiple shootings and tragic deaths in Minnesota. The mayor specifically blamed the “chaos that we are seeing” on ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategies.
Efforts to curtail ICE’s activities in Minneapolis are supported by a coalition of local and state officials who are urging the judiciary to intervene swiftly. The city’s planned legal action seeks to impose immediate restrictions on federal enforcement that they say have exacerbated violence and undermined public trust.
As the situation develops, the debate over federal immigration enforcement’s role in Minneapolis continues to draw national attention. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency maintains that its agents are trained to operate within legal frameworks and that their presence is necessary to uphold immigration laws. However, local leaders argue that the current approach is unsustainable and dangerous for their communities.
With a temporary restraining order hearing scheduled for Monday, Minneapolis stands at a crossroads in determining how to balance federal immigration enforcement with public safety and local autonomy. The outcome may set a precedent for other cities grappling with similar tensions between federal agencies and municipal authorities.
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