Federal Agents Kill ICU Nurse Alex Pretti During Minneapolis Immigration Protest
A second American citizen killed by federal agents during Minneapolis immigration enforcement protests. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — both unarmed U.S. citizens — during a single enforcement operation constituted a pattern of excessive force that prompted bipartisan calls for accountability.
On January 24, 2026, federal agents killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during protests in Minneapolis that erupted after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good on January 7. Pretti's death was the second killing of a U.S. citizen by federal agents during the Minneapolis immigration enforcement operation, escalating calls for accountability and contributing to the eventual removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Executive summary
What this record documents
- Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was killed by federal agents on January 24, 2026, during protests in Minneapolis over the earlier killing of Renee Good by ICE.
- Pretti was the second U.S. citizen killed by federal agents during the Minneapolis immigration enforcement operation within a 17-day period.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the protests 'domestic terrorism,' defended the agents involved, and vowed to send 'hundreds more' federal agents to Minneapolis.
- The killings contributed to Noem's eventual removal as DHS Secretary in early March 2026. She was replaced by Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin.
- Governor Kathy Hochul of New York publicly called on Noem to resign following the Minneapolis killings.
Timeline
Sequence of events
January 7, 2026
ICE agent kills Renee Good
ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shoots Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old American mother of three, during a massive immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
January 7, 2026
Mass protests erupt
Thousands of Minneapolis residents take to the streets to protest the killing. Noem vows to send 'hundreds more' federal agents.
January 8, 2026
Noem labels protests 'domestic terrorism'
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem calls the protests leading up to the ICE shooting 'an act of domestic terrorism.'
January 24, 2026
Federal agents kill Alex Pretti
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, is killed by federal agents during continuing protests in Minneapolis.
January 25, 2026
Governor Hochul demands Noem resign
New York Governor Kathy Hochul publicly calls on Secretary Noem to resign, stating she cannot remain in charge after two civilians are killed.
March 5, 2026
Noem removed as DHS Secretary
Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary following questions about her leadership and handling of the Minneapolis killings. Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin is nominated to replace her.
Analysis
Reporting, legal context, and impact
What Happened
On January 24, 2026, federal agents killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during protests in Minneapolis that had erupted following the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Macklin Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross.
Pretti became the second U.S. citizen killed by federal agents during the Minneapolis immigration enforcement operation — a massive deployment that DHS described as its largest immigration enforcement operation ever, sending 2,000 agents to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.
The Pattern
The two killings within 17 days of each other established a pattern of lethal force against U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations:
- January 7: ICE agent Jonathan Ross shoots and kills Renee Good, a mother of three, during an immigration raid. Video evidence contradicted the government's narrative that Good posed a lethal threat.
- January 24: Federal agents kill Alex Pretti during ongoing protests against the first killing.
DHS Response
Rather than acknowledging the gravity of two civilian deaths, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem doubled down:
- She labeled the actions of protesters "an act of domestic terrorism"
- She stood by the characterization of the U.S. citizens killed as terrorists
- She vowed to send "hundreds more" federal agents to Minneapolis
- She defended the agents involved in both killings
Political Consequences
The killings and Noem's handling of them had significant political consequences:
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul publicly called for Noem's resignation
- Common Cause launched a national campaign to remove Noem from office
- Bipartisan criticism mounted over the use of lethal force against American citizens
- In early March 2026, Trump fired Noem as DHS Secretary, replacing her with Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin
Legal Analysis
The use of lethal force against civilians engaged in protest activities raises serious questions under both domestic and international law. The UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials limit the intentional lethal use of firearms to situations where it is "strictly unavoidable in order to protect life."
The fact that two U.S. citizens were killed within a single enforcement operation — one during a raid and one during protests — suggests a systemic failure in use-of-force protocols rather than isolated incidents.
Why This Matters
The Minneapolis killings represent a critical escalation: the use of lethal force by federal immigration agents against U.S. citizens on American soil. Combined with DHS leadership characterizing the victims as "terrorists," this pattern raised alarm about the militarization of immigration enforcement and the erosion of use-of-force constraints.
Linked reporting
Reporting and secondary sources
- Together, We Fired Kristi Noem: DHS Secretary Cannot Remain In Charge After Minnesota ICE Killings Common Cause
- 2025-26 Minnesota ICE Deployment Britannica
- Governor Hochul Calls on Secretary Noem to Resign Office of Governor Hochul
- Kristi Noem stands by remarks accusing U.S. citizens killed in Minneapolis of terrorism CBC News
- Minneapolis protesters vent their outrage after an ICE officer kills a woman PBS NewsHour
Related records