LIVE UPDATES | ICE in Minnesota: Deadly weekend shooting, protests, and court hearings
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Immigration operations remain underway following a deadly weekend shooting in Minneapolis, as state and federal officials prepare for court hearings tied to immigration enforcement and evidence preservation on Monday.
Over the weekend, federal Border Patrol agents fatally shot a Minneapolis man, 37-year-old VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti. This is the third shooting involving federal agents this year, including the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent on Jan. 7. The latest incident comes as thousands of federal agents are in Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge.
Meanwhile, multiple federal court hearings are scheduled for Monday as legal battles unfold. A federal judge is slated to hear oral arguments on Minnesota’s lawsuit seeking to stop the surge of federal immigration agents, and another hearing is set on a temporary restraining order that blocks the Trump administration from "destroying or altering evidence" in the Alex Pretti shooting.
Find live updates on this shooting below. Watch FOX 9 live in the player above. Live events and other updates can be viewed below.
9:40 a.m. - Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs on ICE
Statement regarding the shootings and ongoing ICE activity in the Twin Cities from the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs (HCAPE):
"We are the labor union that represents 9-1-1 paramedics, BLS EMTs and Emergency Medical Dispatchers at Hennepin EMS. Our members serve Minneapolis and many of the surrounding suburbs in Hennepin County. We have a proud history of serving the needs of this community for decades. Through a massive bridge collapse, global pandemic, unprecedented civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd, Annunciation School shooting and dozens of other lesser known tragedies our members have honorably served.
"The last several weeks have been increasingly difficult. We have seen a large influx in the presence of federal agents all over Minnesota, but especially in communities of color, centered in Minneapolis. This federal presence has caused a steep increase in calls for service, brought many community members to the streets in protest and led to several residents being shot. The continued escalation is pushing our emergency medical system past the breaking point. Community members are afraid to seek medical attention while deteriorating at home, protesters are being subjected to pepper spray and tear gas, and our partners in local law enforcement are struggling to co-respond on potentially dangerous calls. Despite the stated aim of this federal operation, it is not making this part of America safer. People are dying and basic services are being significantly impacted on a daily basis.
"We are not some massive national union with thousands of members, lawyers and lobbyists. We are a local independent association with less than 200 members. Our board leadership are full time paramedics and emergency medical dispatchers, who live right here in this community. Our aim is to keep our members safe, provide a needed service to Hennepin County and continue providing world class medical care to our patients. The sad reality is, the expanded presence of ICE and other federal agents is making that increasingly difficult. Whether answering 9-1-1 calls or arriving on scene to provide medical care and transport, our members are here to help all members of the community."
9:30 a.m. - Minneapolis City Council making meeting changes amid ICE operations
The Minneapolis City Council is changing its meeting schedule due to "ongoing community needs" amid ICE operations in Minnesota.
"Council Members are prioritizing their constituents and the community, and they recognize the demand this ongoing situation has placed on the City’s administration and staff," a news release says.
The council's upcoming meeting schedule through Feb. 19 is changed to:
- Committee of the Whole: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 9:30 a.m.
- Full council meeting: Thursday, Feb. 5, 9:30 a.m.
- COW Tuesday, Feb. 17, 9:30 a.m.
- Full council meeting: Thursday, Feb. 19, 9:30 a.m.
Items normally referred to standing committees will be referred to the Committee of the Whole (COW) on Tuesday, Feb. 3, starting at 9:30 a.m.
9:10 a.m. – Hearing underway
A federal judge is hearing oral arguments beginning at 9 a.m. Monday in a lawsuit filed by the State of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul, which seeks to stop the surge of ICE agents in the state. The lawsuit is calling the ICE operations in Minnesota illegal, while the DOJ has called the lawsuit frivolous.
The plaintiffs are urging the courts to issue a temporary restraining order today, citing in part the recent deadly shooting over the weekend. The defendant doesn't dispute the impact of the operation but argues that any impact is the fault of policies.
Attorneys argue that Operation Metro Surge has led to countless examples of racial profiling, illegal detentions, warrantless searches, abandoned vehicles, and the use of chemical irritants. Additionally, the operation is resulting in negative impacts on public safety, public health and education.
7:45 a.m. – Pres. Trump sending border czar to Minnesota
In a Truth Social post on Monday, President Donald Trump stated he is sending Tom Homan, the White House border czar, to Minnesota.
"I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me," Trump wrote.
Trump also said a "major investigation" is underway into welfare fraud in Minnesota, which he suggests is partially responsible for the ongoing protests. In the same statement, Trump said the DOJ and Congress are looking into Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's finances, making unsubstantiated claims about her weather.
7:35 a.m. – Minnesota CEO's joint statement
Businesses near Alex Pretti's fatal shooting reopening
Businesses on Eat Street in Minneapolis, where Alex Pretti was fatally shot on Saturday morning, are reopening on Monday. Meanwhile, a memorial for Pretti is growing as the calls for ICE to leave Minnesota grow louder.
On Sunday, over 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies issued a joint statement calling for an "immediate deescalation" and a unified response from federal, state and local leaders in wake of the "widespread disruption and tragic loss of life."
The full letter reads:
The business community in Minnesota prides itself in providing leadership and solving problems to ensure a strong and vibrant state. The recent challenges facing our state have created widespread disruption and tragic loss of life. For the past several weeks, representatives of Minnesota’s business community have been working every day behind the scenes with federal, state and local officials to advance real solutions. These efforts have included close communication with the Governor, the White House, the Vice President and local mayors. There are ways for us to come together to foster progress.
With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.
We have been working for generations to build a strong and vibrant state here in Minnesota and will do so in the months and years ahead with equal and even greater commitment. In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future.
7:30 a.m. – Protesters target hotels
Anti-ICE protesters clash with law enforcement outside hotel in Minneapolis
A group of protesters clashed with law enforcement outside a hotel in Minneapolis, believed to be housing ICE agents. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says the State Patrol, DNR and Minneapolis Police were called to the Home 2 Suites Hotel on University Avenue in Dinkytown Sunday night, where a small group of people had broken a few windows and graffitied anti-ICE messages on the building. Federal agents deployed chemical irritants and the group cleared.
For several weeks, protesters have been targeting hotels where federal agents are believed to be staying. State officials say demonstrators damaged a hotel in Dinkytown on Sunday night, leading to a large response from law enforcement with federal agents using tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety released a statement on the incident:
"The Minnesota State Patrol and DNR were called to assist Minneapolis police with damage to hotel property at Home2 Suites Hotel on University Avenue. While they collaboratively worked to encircle the group for arrests because the demonstration was not peaceful, federal agents arrived without communication and deployed chemical irritants, clearing the group. The State Patrol and DNR are no longer on scene."
6:45 a.m. – Federal court hearings Monday
ICE in MN: Hearing on immigration enforcement lawsuit
A federal judge will hear oral arguments in the legal battle over the escalating immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. There is also a legal battle over the evidence in the shooting death of Alex Pretti. A federal judge in Minnesota is blocking the Trump administration from "destroying or altering" evidence, with a hearing scheduled on this for Monday afternoon.
The legal fight over immigration enforcement in Minnesota returns to court Monday.
A federal judge is scheduled to hear oral arguments at 9 a.m. Monday in a lawsuit filed by the State of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul, which seeks to stop the surge of ICE agents in the state. The lawsuit is calling the ICE operations in Minnesota illegal, while the DOJ has called the lawsuit frivolous.
In a separate case, there is a legal battle over evidence in the shooting death of Alex Pretti. A federal judge in Minnesota blocked the Trump administration from "destroying or altering" evidence.
What's next for ICE in Minnesota?
David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University, explains what's next for ICE operations in Minnesota as legal battles over immigration enforcement in the state and preserving evidence in the Alex Pretti shooting continue.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says federal officers initially blocked their investigators from the shooting scene. Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a motion Saturday night asking the court for a restraining order to preserve evidence collected by federal officers.
The judge swiftly granted the motion and BCA agents were able to access the scene Sunday morning, roughly 24 hours after the shooting.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday.