The situation in the United States has entered a social crisis after the massive deployment of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service) in several states, including Minnesota. The immediate trigger has been the death of two civilians by shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis in less than a month, the last of them a nurse who recorded a protest with his mobile phone.
The most serious episode occurred this Saturday with the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti37 years old, which has intensified protests that were already growing against the immigration policies of the Trump Administration.
What happened in Minneapolis?
During an ICE raid in Minneapolis, Federal agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a nursewhile recording a demonstration against immigration raids with his cell phone.
Federal authorities maintain that Pretti was carrying a gun and that the agents acted in self-defense. However, The videos spread on social networks contradict that version: They show Pretti with a mobile phone in his hands, without ever drawing a weapon.
According to testimonies and images, once he was reduced to the ground, immobilized and unarmed, he was shot ten times. The case is reminiscent of another recent incident in the same citywhere the mother of three children was also shot dead by ICE agents during a similar intervention.
In less than four weeks, two civilians have died in Minneapolis in federal operations, a fact that has triggered citizen outrage.
Why are there confrontations with ICE?
The origin of the conflict is in the tightening of immigration policy since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency. In this new mandate, ICE has received more funding, more personnel and greater scope for action, especially in cities governed by Democrats.
The official objective of the deployment is to detain and deport immigrants who do not comply with current legislation. According to data released by the Administration itself, ICE has already deported some 605,000 people throughout the countrys and keeps around 65,000 immigrants held.
In Minneapolis, these operations have resulted in massive raids, thousands of arrests and constant presence of armed agents in residential neighborhoods, which has caused massive protests and direct confrontations with the population.
Attorney General Requests Minnesota Voter Lists
The crisis took a political leap when US Attorney General Pamela Bondi formally requested voter lists from the state of Minnesota. The measure, according to Bondi, seeks “end the chaos” in Minneapolis.
The request has generated a political earthquake. Democratic senators like Chris Murphy denounced that the use of ICE goes beyond immigration and security. According to Murphy, it is a political pressure tool to influence elections in key states.
“This has never been about security or immigration. It is a pretext for Trump to take over the elections in disputed states“said the senator in a video broadcast on social networks. Bondi confirmed the existence of the letter in an interview with Fox News, although he avoided giving details about its content.
Alex Pretti’s family accuses the Government of lying
The tension increased even more after the statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, parents of the deceased nurse. In a message spread on social networks, they accused the federal authorities of spreading ‘disgusting lies’ about his son.
According to his story, Alex was not carrying any weapon. The images show that he was holding the mobile phone with his right hand and that he raised his left hand to try to protect a woman who was being subdued by ICE, while he was sprayed with pepper spray. “It is evident that Alex did not have a gun in his hand when he was attacked by Trump’s murderous and cowardly ICE thugs”his parents stated.
Barack and Michelle Obama have spoken: “This has to end”
The former president of the United States, Democrat Barack Obama, has expressed on X (formerly Twitter) his dismay at what is happening in Minnesota: “The murder of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. “It should also be a wake-up call to all Americans, regardless of party, in the face of the growing attack on our fundamental values as a nation,” he wrote on the social network.
In the tweet they included a letter from Barack and his wife Michelle, regretting the situation. “Many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under attack”says the letter, adding to hope that “federal agents act in a legal, responsible and transparent manner.”
But they go further, describing ICE’s actions as “unprecedented tactics… described as shameful, illegal and cruel”adding that “the official explanations are not supported by any serious investigation and appear to be contradicted by the video images.”
They conclude by saying that “It is up to us, as citizens, to speak out against injusticeprotect our basic freedoms and hold the government accountable.
A conflict that goes beyond Minnesota
What happens in Minneapolis is already a national symbol. For his critics, ICE has become an instrument of political and social intimidationespecially in progressive cities. For the Government, the protests are a response to strict compliance with the law.
With civilian deaths, massive protests, accusations of electoral manipulation and a climate of extreme polarization, the question is no longer just what is happening in Minnesota, but how far the confrontation between federal power and a growing part of the American citizenry can go.
