Alex Pretti Killed in ICE Raid Near Calvary Baptist Church ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was shot multiple times just after 9 a.m. Saturday near Minneapolis’s Calvary Baptist Church and later died at a hospital [1][3][4]. DHS claims Pretti “resisted with a handgun,” yet eyewitnesses say he was holding only a phone [1]. The shooting marks the second U.S. citizen killed by ICE agents this month, following the death of Renee Good on Jan. 7 [1].

Minnesota Government Initiates State‑Led Investigation and Legal Action Governor Tim Walz announced the state will head the investigation, rejecting federal control and asserting that Minnesota’s justice system will have final authority [3][4]. Attorney General Keith Ellison plans to seek a court order on Monday to end the federal “Operation Metro Surge,” labeling it illegal and unconstitutional [3][4]. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey will file a temporary restraining order to halt ICE activities and has asked the National Guard for assistance [3][4].

Local Communities Organize Vigils and Demand Immediate ICE Withdrawal Volunteers at Calvary Baptist Church distributed coffee, snacks, hand warmers, and whistles to alert residents, describing the effort as “the Christian thing to do” [1]. Vigils and downtown protests erupted after Pretti’s death, with state officials, including Governor Walz, urging President Trump to pull the roughly 3,000 “untrained” agents from Minnesota [1]. Trump praised the agents as doing a “phenomenal job” but hinted the federal presence could end, without giving a timeline [1].

Pam Bondi Sends Conditional Letter Tying ICE Presence to Data Release Attorney General Pam Bondi mailed Governor Walz a letter demanding state voter‑registration records, a repeal of sanctuary policies, and Medicaid/Food and Nutrition Service data before ICE would consider withdrawing [2]. The letter cites a 1,300 % rise in attacks on ICE officers and a 3,200 % surge in vehicular assaults to justify continued enforcement [2]. Democrats denounced the move as election interference, with Senator Chris Murphy calling it a pretext for Trump to influence swing‑state outcomes [2].

Nationwide Opinion Divided Over Trump’s Deportation Campaign A New York Times poll shows roughly half of voters nationwide support President Trump’s aggressive deportation push, while a Politico poll after Good’s death finds a similar split thinking the campaign is too aggressive [1]. The controversy has heightened political stakes, prompting Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to threaten a DHS funding block, raising shutdown odds [2].