Dozens of anti-ICE protesters flooded the Minnesota state capitol Tuesday, chanting outside Governor Tim Walz’s office as tensions over immigration enforcement in the state continued to escalate. The demonstration marked the fourth straight day of protests following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a federal agent.
Chanting “ICE out now” and “Do your job,” protesters targeted the Democratic governor directly, demanding that he take further action against federal immigration agents operating in the Twin Cities area.
Pretti was killed Saturday during what officials say was interference in an ongoing immigration operation. Customs and Border Protection confirmed one of its agents fired the shots, triggering a national firestorm and growing unrest in Minneapolis and beyond.
Governor Walz met earlier in the day with Trump border czar Tom Homan to demand a “swift, significant reduction” in the federal presence across Minnesota and “an end to the campaign of retribution,” according to NBC News. The meeting came just one day after Walz and President Trump had what both sides described as a constructive call.
“We seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump said Tuesday. “It couldn’t have been a nicer conversation. In fact, I said to my people, it’s hard to believe that’s the same guy I watch on television… because we had a very reasonable, very good conversation.”
Walz, however, has long been one of ICE’s loudest critics. Over the weekend, he again likened federal agents to Nazi Gestapo, and compared illegal aliens in Minnesota to Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Those comparisons have drawn fierce backlash from both state Republicans and the White House.
Protesters aren’t just targeting ICE. They’re now holding Walz accountable for what they call cooperation with the Trump administration after the shooting. Despite his past rhetoric, Walz has yet to call for a full removal of federal forces.
Following the Pretti shooting, President Trump ordered key changes to the immigration task force operating in Minnesota. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who had backed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s more aggressive tactics, has been removed from his nationwide command role and reassigned to California.
Trump met with Noem for two hours on Monday. The meeting came amid speculation that Noem might be sidelined after her controversial public comments about Pretti. Trump, however, stood by her leadership and said she would remain at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security.
With unrest continuing outside the capitol and daily protests stretching into a fifth day, the crisis in Minnesota has become one of the top domestic flashpoints in the country. The administration says changes are coming, but protesters and federal agents alike remain on edge.
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