In response to the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents during Operation Metro Surge—as detailed in prior coverage—President Trump spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on January 26, 2026, announcing partial withdrawal of federal agents contingent on state cooperation. The move follows intensified protests, a second deadly incident this month, and clashes over immigration enforcement.
The shooting of 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti on January 24-25 near Nicollet Avenue, previously reported with video evidence showing him aiding a woman before being disarmed and shot 10-11 times, has escalated into a political crisis. Homeland Security's Operation Metro Surge has netted over 3,500 arrests in Minnesota but drawn backlash for two fatal shootings of citizens, including Renee Macklin Good on January 7.
New political fallout includes Gov. Tim Walz deploying the National Guard, demanding the operation's end, and comparing immigrants' fear to Anne Frank's—prompting rebuke from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. President Trump described a January 26 call with Walz as productive, dispatching Border Czar Tom Homan to mediate and ordering partial withdrawal, including Commander Gregory Bovino, if Minnesota honors ICE detainers more consistently. Walz confirmed talks on independent probes and federal drawdown.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Bovino defended agents, labeling Pretti a threat, but video analysis by The New York Times and Washington Post contradicts claims of violent resistance. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) backed Pretti's account via footage. Bipartisan senators, including Thom Tillis (R), criticized hasty judgments, raising qualified immunity questions amid administration rifts.
