Minneapolis Reels After Fatal ICE Shooting, Lawsuit Filed Over Drug Boat Strike

Minneapolis is grappling with the aftermath of a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, while a federal lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration over a deadly airstrike on a suspected drug trafficking vessel.

The ICE shooting occurred on January 25, 2026, and resulted in the death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, according to Vox. The incident sparked immediate protests in Minneapolis, with a childhood friend of Pretti, a creative director, coordinating visual documentation of the demonstrations, reported The Verge. The shooting has reignited debate over immigration enforcement policies and the use of force by federal agents.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation. Vox reported that the incident involved a federal agent shoving a woman to the ground, followed by the agent pepper-spraying a young man who attempted to help her.

Meanwhile, families of two men killed in a U.S. airstrike on a vessel off the coast of Venezuela have filed a federal lawsuit against the government, NPR News reported. The suit alleges wrongful death and extrajudicial killings, challenging the legality of the Trump administration's policy of targeting suspected drug trafficking boats. According to NPR, the policy has resulted in numerous strikes and fatalities since September.

Legal experts are divided on the legality of the strikes. Some argue they are a necessary national security measure, while others contend they are unlawful and lack accountability, according to NPR News.

These events unfold against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota. Vox reported that the administration is attempting to pressure Minnesota to release voter data. According to a Saturday letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Trump administration is trying to "ransom Minneapoliss freedom from an increasingly violent federal presence," according to Minnesota's secretary of state, as reported by Vox.

These recent events follow President Trump's disparaging remarks about Somalis, made at Davos last week. Trump referred to Somalis as "low IQ," "bandits," and "pirates," according to Time. He also questioned how they could "go into Minnesota and steal all that money?" Time reported that these remarks have been widely disseminated and discussed within the Somali diaspora.