2 Border Patrol agents who fired guns in Alex Pretti fatal shooting put on leave
Catch up with NBC News Clone on today's hot topic: Minneapolis Shooting Alex Pretti Live Updates Rcna256278 - Breaking News | NBC News Clone. Our editorial team reformatted this story for clarity and speed.
A man was arrested after he tried to spray Rep. Ilhan Omar with a substance at a Minneapolis town hall last night.
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What we know
- The two Border Patrol agents who fired their guns during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota have been placed on administrative leave, according to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
- A preliminary DHS report sent to Congress detailing Pretti’s killing Saturday said two officers fired their weapons during the struggle but did not confirm federal officials' claims that he was "brandishing" a gun.
- President Donald Trump said this week he would reshuffle his immigration operation amid widespread backlash to the killings of Pretti and Renee Good.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and border czar Tom Homan met yesterday and "agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals," according to the governor’s office. Homan also met with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
- The FBI is investigating the attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., at a Minneapolis town hall yesterday. A man was arrested and placed in police custody after allegedly spraying her with a substance.
Senators explore off-ramps to prevent a shutdown as Democrats lay out DHS reforms
Senators met privately today to discuss off-ramps to prevent a government shutdown this weekend, with both parties recognizing that a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security cannot pass in its current form.
A recent funding deal that passed the House last week has been upended by the DHS killing of Pretti in Minnesota over the weekend — and the subsequent public outcry, which prompted Democrats and a top Republican to say the department should not be funded without policy changes.
The deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, leaving little time to hash out a solution that can achieve the 60 votes needed in the Senate.
One idea that has gained traction: a short-term funding bill for DHS while the two parties negotiate changes to the department, along with the five remaining appropriations bills to fund the rest of the government through Sept. 30.
2 federal agents involved in Pretti's shooting were immediately put on leave, DHS says
The two federal agents who fired shots in Pretti's fatal shooting were placed on administrative leave immediately after the shooting Saturday, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said.
The new reporting directly contradicts what Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who was leading its efforts in Minneapolis, said over the weekend, when he announced that the Customs and Border Protection agents involved were still on the job, working in “other locations” for their safety.
“All agents that were involved in that scene are working, not in Minneapolis, but in other locations,” Bovino told reporters Sunday.
“That’s for their safety," he said. "There’s this thing called doxxing, and the safety of our employees is very important to us. We’re going to keep those employees safe.”
Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Justice Department responds to Minnesota’s motion for preliminary injunction
The Justice Department has asked a court in a new legal filing not to grant Minnesota a preliminary injunction that would halt federal immigration operations.
The state of Minnesota, along with cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, had argued that the federal government is violating the 10th Amendment, which limits federal power and enshrines state rights. They argue that the federal government is punishing Minnesota for its policy choices in an effort to coerce changes.
The Justice Department rejected that take as “unprecedented” and “groundless” in a new court filing. It doubled down on the assertion that Operation Metro Surge is designed to enforce federal law in Minnesota — “and the actions of federal officers over the past six weeks match this purpose,” the filing said.
The Justice Department argued that if states have the freedom to enact sanctuary policies under the 10h Amendment, then “more federal officers may be needed in Minnesota to fill the gap” as a “natural consequence,” not a “punishment.”
The filing also downplayed a Truth Social post in which Trump wrote: "FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING" — arguing that "such a singular statement is of little relevance, especially given Operation Metro Surge’s facially valid justification."
The Justice Department asked the court to deny the motion, saying that "discussions between federal and state officials are now active and ongoing," and warning such a move would be "an extraordinary rewriting of foundational federalism principles through which any and all States could supplant federal priorities with their own."
Minnesota senators call on Republicans to help reform ICE
Minnesota's Democratic senators, Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, spoke on the Senate floor and called on their Republican colleagues to help with reforms at ICE.
"We have a full-blown dangerous emergency unfolding in Minnesota. It is happening right now as we speak. And we need your help to end it. America needs your help," Smith said, adding that ICE's and CBP's actions had led to a "coalition of the horrified."
The senators laid out the reforms they would like to see and that Democrats are pushing for in the pending government funding bills, including an end to roving patrols, a proper training system and code of conduct, no more masks for officers and the implementation of body cameras.
“I truly believe that we can find agreement on both sides of the aisle for a path forward," Smith said.
The senators also called for leadership change at DHS, with Klobuchar rejecting the administration's claims that federal forces are there to investigate fraud. She said they're engaged in a "shock and awe" spectacle "meant to intimidate."
"There are 3,000 federal officers in Minnesota, and I cannot state it more unequivocally: ICE must leave Minnesota,” she said.
Texas congressman describes 5-year-old in immigration detention as 'lethargic'
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, visited today with a 5-year-old boy and his father who are being held in a Texas detention center after they were detained in Minneapolis last week and said the boy was "lethargic."
Castro said he met with Liam Conejo Ramos and his father at a family detention center in Dilley for about 30 minutes.
The boy's father told Castro that Liam has been very depressed and that he is not eating well and sleeping a lot, Castro said. The boy asks about his classmates, his family, his mom and the backpack and the blue bunny hat he was wearing when he ended up in ICE custody. Castro said he demanded Liam's release.
"Liam Ramos is emblematic of the inhumanity of our detention system and ICE operations," Castro said at a news conference in San Antonio.
He and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, also D-Texas, visited with several children, including a 2-month-old baby who had been in custody four or five days, Castro said. Crockett said several parents told them their children were depressed, not eating and vomiting.
Some of the detainees said they were not getting any education, Crockett said. When she questioned officials, they told her "we're working on it," she said. She said that officials gave them information that said the average stay of families was 28 days but that "we didn't meet anybody who had been there for less than probably two months."
Protesters who demonstrated outside the facility while the lawmakers visited clashed with troopers who deployed canisters to disperse them.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
FBI takes over investigation into incident at Rep. Ilhan Omar town hall
The FBI is now investigating the assault on Omar, it told NBC News tonight.
“The FBI is investigating this matter. To maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no additional details are available for release at this time,” the bureau said in the statement.
Trump’s top federal law enforcement officials have largely stayed quiet about the attack against Omar, even though it’s a federal crime to assault a member of Congress. The statute explicitly states that assaults on federal lawmakers shall be investigated by the FBI.
Video shows Alex Pretti interacting with federal agents the week before his death
Video shows Pretti interacting with federal agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 13, a little over a week before Border Patrol agents shot and killed him.
The video was recorded by The News Movement, which said it responded to a tip about agents blocking the street at the intersection of East 36th Street and Park Avenue in Minneapolis shortly after 10 a.m. A family representative confirmed that Pretti is depicted in the video and that the family knew about the incident after it happened.
The video showed Pretti yelling at federal immigration agents and kicking the back of a vehicle used by agents, breaking a taillight. It’s not clear what happened before the interaction.
The video shows an agent getting out of the vehicle, grabbing Pretti and tackling him to the ground as witnesses scream “Stop! Stop!” Meanwhile, other uniformed officers deploy gas toward the crowd.
At least three agents try to keep Pretti down, but he manages to get away and runs toward people standing nearby, the video shows. When he turns, what appears to be a gun is visible, tucked into the back of his waistband. He does not ever appear to reach for it in the clip.
He and others continued to yell at agents, urging them to leave.
By the end of the clip, billowing smoke had taken over the streets, cars were honking and people were yelling. The News Movement reported that shortly after the altercation, federal agents drove away.
Steve Schleicher, the attorney for the Pretti family, said in a statement: “A week before Alex was gunned down in the street — despite posing no threat to anyone — he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents. Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24.”
A Homeland Security spokesperson said Homeland Security Investigations is reviewing the video.
People in vests that appeared to say Police Homeland Security Investigations could be seen in the video.
Rep. Ilhan Omar condemns Trump in remarks a day after town hall attack
Omar said at a news conference tonight in Minneapolis that attempts to intimidate her will not deter her from public service.
“I think my presence here should tell you that the fear and intimidation doesn’t work on me,” she said a day after a man was tackled at a town hall she hosted and later arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault.
Omar said that during Trump's second term, she has needed round-the-clock protection from U.S. Capitol Police.
“Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” she said, adding that she would not be such a target “if Donald Trump wasn’t in office and if he wasn’t so obsessed with me.”
"I do believe that the facts of the situation are that I wouldn’t be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government to think about providing me security, if Donald Trump wasn’t in office," Omar said.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley joins Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minneapolis a day after an attack on Omar
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., spoke at a news conference in Minneapolis tonight alongside Omar less than 24 hours after an attack on Omar.
Pressley, a fellow member of the so-called squad of progressive Democrats in Congress, said she met today with immigrants who have been "traumatized" in Minnesota seeing "in real time the very authoritarian, fascist and cruel actions that they fled."
Pressley, one of the few out-of-state lawmakers to visit Minneapolis in the wake of Pretti's death, urged senators to vote against a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, to back a resolution to impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and to support a bill that would end qualified immunity for federal officers, including ICE agents.
Minnesota judge cancels Todd Lyons hearing, says ICE has violated court orders
U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz today formally canceled the hearing that would have caused acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to appear in court and said the agency has repeatedly violated court orders.
Lyons was ordered to appear Friday to explain why a man arrested by federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota this month had not been given a bond hearing or released from detention within seven days, as required by Schiltz.
Schiltz attached to the order canceling the hearing a list of 96 court orders that he says ICE has violated in 74 cases since Jan. 1.
“The extent of ICE’s noncompliance is almost certainly substantially understated,” Schiltz said. “This list should give pause to anyone — no matter his or her political beliefs — who cares about the rule of law. ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.”
Schiltz added that noncompliance with court orders may result in Lyons' or other government officials' having to personally appear before the court.
“ICE is not a law unto itself. ICE has every right to challenge the orders of this Court, but, like any litigant, ICE must follow those orders unless and until they are overturned or vacated,” Schiltz said
U.S. Capitol Police chief says 'we should never settle for violence' in wake of attack on Omar
U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan told NBC News that the agency is working closely with the FBI to consider federal charges against the man who attacked Omar last night.
It is standard practice for the FBI to be involved if a member of Congress is attacked. Assaulting a member of Congress is a federal crime.
Sullivan said personal security within feet of Omar sprang to immediate action after the attack started, adding that there was coordination with Capitol Police and local law enforcement in its aftermath.
He emphasized the need for such coordination across the country as threats against members of Congress rise.
“We know that members go back and spend a lot of time in their home districts, and we can’t be everywhere,” Sullivan said, adding that USCP has “agreements or memorandums of understanding with at least a department in every single state of this nation, equaling over 350.”
Sullivan said USCP is working with members of Congress to find the “balance” of engaging with constituents while recognizing the rise of violence and threats that must be seriously considered.
“I don’t think that’s what anybody wants. You know, I think, think democracy, we should expect disagreement, right? We should never settle for violence, and we’ve seen way too much violence lately,” he said.
Texas troopers deploy canisters on protesters at detention center where 5-year-old Minneapolis boy is held
Texas troopers launched canisters at protesters demonstrating at the gate at the foot of a road leading to a family detention center where a 5-year-old Minneapolis boy and his father are being held, videos showed.
Protesters could be seen in video clenching their eyes, struggling to breathe and lying or kneeling on the ground as water was poured over their eyes after the canisters were deployed. They were among around 100 people who marched a couple of miles from downtown Dilley, Texas, to the immigration detention center.
Live video showed troopers in riot gear facing off with the protesters, who at first were behind yellow police tape at the gate. Separate video from Telemundo, NBC News' sister network, shows helmeted state troopers with batons moving into line in front of the protesters and beginning to push them backward. As protesters try to stay in place, a trooper can be seen firing a canister, followed by coughing amid smoke from the canister.
The Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately comment in response to a request for more information.
The protest coincided with a visit by members of Congress to the detention center to meet with Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos. The young boy was taken into ICE custody in Minneapolis after officers arrested his father when the two returned home Jan. 20 from Liam’s preschool.
Images of an ICE officer with the young boy with a backpack and a blue bunny hat stirred outrage. A judge has blocked the child's removal.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said on social media that he was able to meet with Liam and his father and demanded his release.
Minneapolis council member recalls getting sprayed by liquid during attack on Omar
Minneapolis City Council member LaTrisha Vetaw recalled getting sprayed when a man targeted Omar yesterday.
Vetaw said Omar was making her remarks when she heard someone get up and yell.
“I didn’t hear what he said, but I saw him get up, and he was yelling, and I’m looking right at him, and this syringe just goes up, and this liquid just starts to come towards us,” she told NBC News. “I saw her be hit by the liquid, and then immediately I went to her saying: ‘Hey, you’ve got to go get checked out. We don’t know what that is.’”
Vetaw said she was worried and scared.
“Because there was a foreign liquid, I don’t know what it is, we’re packed in this room, the room is hot, there was a lot of people in there. I didn’t know if there were other people in the room with this liquid,” she said.
“It could have been airborne; it could have been acid that he sprayed. I didn’t know what it was, so I was terrified,” she continued.
She became emotional as she recalled fearing for the safety of her staff members in the room with her.
“I was so scared, like we were in danger. My worst fear is that I’ll have to call one of their parents and say something happened. So I was terrified,” she said.
After Omar was hit, she continued to talk to the crowd, which appeared to calm the room down, Vetaw said. Vetaw later started to gag because of the smell, which she described as vinegar or ammonia.
“Then I realized it’s on me, it’s not just the smell in the air,” she said, noting that her blazer was sprayed.
She said the moment was “even scarier” than normal because of incidents in the city during Trump’s Operation Metro Surge.
“I think everybody’s on edge,” she said.
Bruce Springsteen releases anti-ICE protest song, 'Streets of Minneapolis'
Rock icon Bruce Springsteen announced on social media today that he has released a song dedicated to the memories of Pretti and Good. The new track, "Streets of Minneapolis," features lyrics praising anti-ICE protesters and excoriating Trump and his administration.
"I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis," Springsteen wrote. "It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good."
He signed off the message with, "Stay free."
Omar's office believes she was sprayed with apple cider vinegar
Omar's office believes she was sprayed with apple cider vinegar last night, her spokesperson said, citing a preliminary report.
It’s not clear who conducted the analysis.
Omar was speaking at the town hall when a man confronted her, used a syringe to spray a liquid on her and appeared to yell, “You must resign.” A security guard tackled him to the ground.
Rep. Ilhan Omar's office believes she was sprayed with apple cider vinegar at a Minneapolis town hall yesterday. Octavio Jones / AFP via Getty Images
Omar had called for ICE to be abolished and demanded that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem resign or be impeached shortly before the incident.
Jail records identified the man accused of attacking Omar as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, whom police took into custody on suspicion of assault.
16 people arrested in Minnesota after alleged assaults on law enforcement, Bondi says
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal agents have arrested 16 demonstrators in Minnesota after alleged assaults on federal law enforcement officers.
"People who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents," she said in a post on X.
"I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law," she added.
Bondi said she expects there will be more arrests.
Sen. Rand Paul says DHS should appoint a commission to conduct independent investigation into Pretti's death
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., called for an independent investigation into Pretti's death, saying the Department of Homeland Security should appoint a commission.
"We can’t just say, 'Oh, nothing to see here,' and, 'He was obviously an assassin and a domestic terrorist.' When we say things like that, it leads to no confidence," he said, referring to DHS' initial statements about Pretti.
"I don’t think it’s honest to say he brandished a weapon. I don’t think it’s honest to say he assaulted officers," he told reporters. "I’m not saying he might not have been obnoxious. I’m not saying he might have said obnoxious things, but he films; he doesn’t even obstruct the traffic. He waves a car through in the middle of this as they approach him. He retreats as they approach him again, he retreats when a woman is shoved to the ground, he goes to help her up, and that’s when he is grabbed from behind."
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 8. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images file
Paul said at no point in the video did he see Pretti assault any agents.
The senator also said Americans need to know "whether or not filming someone, as I see is going on right now, whether that could be considered to be assault."
"Whether retreating from ICE agents is considered to be assault, and whether or not filming and then retreating is an indication that you’re a potential assassin," he said.
Reps. Omar and Pressley to hold news conference tonight
Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., will speak at a news conference tonight after visiting Karmel Mall in South Minneapolis.
Since Operation Metro Surge began, mall store owners have reported a decline in business, according to a news release. The congresswomen will meet with business owners to "hear firsthand how ICE’s actions are affecting tenants’ ability to sustain their businesses," according to the statement.
Two Border Patrol agents who fired shots in Pretti's fatal shooting placed on leave
The two U.S. Border Patrol agents who fired shots in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti have been placed on administrative leave, according to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
The agents have not been publicly identified.
Trump’s FBI, DOJ officials stay mum on attack on Omar
Trump’s top federal law enforcement officials have stayed mum on last night's attack against Rep. Ilhan Omar, even though federal law covers assaults on members of Congress.
The statute on assaults on members of Congress explicitly states that the FBI should investigate such incidents.
The FBI handled a 2017 assault on Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; a 2019 assault on former Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa; a 2022 assault on former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., who now heads the EPA; and a 2023 assault on Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel had not posted about the Omar attack as of this morning.
A Justice Department spokesman referred questions to the FBI. The FBI, as NBC News previously reported, referred questions to the U.S. Capitol Police.
DHS walks back initial statements about Alex Pretti
The Department of Homeland Security is distancing itself from its Saturday statement that Alex Pretti "violently resisted" Customs and Border Protection and appeared to want to "massacre law enforcement."
“The initial statement was based on reports from CBP from a very chaotic scene on the ground. That’s precisely why an investigation is underway and DHS will let the facts lead the investigation,” a spokesperson told NBC News today.
Asked if DHS stood by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's comments that Pretti was a domestic terrorist, the agency's spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, told Fox Business, "I think that's why the investigation is so important, so we can get accurate facts."
Last night, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said the "initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground" and said they are "evaluating" why CBP did not appear to follow proper protocol during the incident.
Miller had posted about the shooting in a pair of posts on X on Saturday, referring to Pretti as an "assassin" and "would-be assassin" who "tried to murder federal agents." Both posts are still up.
Vance calls out Frey, says federal law enforcement don't 'feel safe calling 911'
Vice President JD Vance jumped into the social media debate between President Donald Trump and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Trump warned Frey that he was "playing with fire" after the mayor told border czar Tom Homan that the city would not enforce federal immigration laws and that police should "keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws."
"Everyone should feel safe calling 911," Frey said in a post on X.
In response, Vance wrote: "How about federal law enforcement. Should they feel safe calling 911? Right now, they don’t, because you’ve told your police officers not to help them."
German government warns travelers to be vigilant and avoid crowds in Minneapolis
The German government is warning travelers in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities to remain mindful of "violent clashes" at protests.
"In Minneapolis and other cities, demonstrations sometimes lead to violent clashes with immigration and security authorities," the German foreign minister's office said in a message on its website. "Be vigilant and stay away from crowds where violence might occur."
Germany reminded its citizens that "identification requirements exist in several states" in the U.S., adding: "Remain calm and follow the instructions of the authorities and local security forces."
Trump says Omar 'probably had herself sprayed'
In an interview with ABC News late last night, Trump said he had not seen the video of Rep. Ilhan Omar being attacked at her town hall and claimed without providing evidence that the Democratic lawmaker "probably had herself sprayed."
"I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her," Trump told ABC News. When the reporter asked Trump for a second time whether he had watched the video, he replied: "I haven’t seen it. No, no. I hope I don’t have to bother."
The White House and Omar's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The man who confronted Omar at her Minneapolis town hall was arrested and placed in police custody.
Frey to Trump: 'Job of our police is to keep people safe ... not hunting down a working dad'
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey responded to Trump's message that he is "playing with fire" after Frey told border czar Tom Homan that the city will not enforce federal immigration laws.
"The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws," the mayor said in a post on X. "I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911."
Walz emotional during visit to Pretti memorial
Gov. Tim Walz and his wife got very emotional and cried while visiting the memorial for Alex Pretti.
"You see the trauma in this community," Walz told NBC News as he was leaving, adding that Minnesotans are "demanding justice" and want agents to leave.
The governor said that since his call with the president following the killings of Pretti and Renee Goode by federal agents, he has seen no evidence of ICE withdrawing from the city.
"Once again, to Renee and Alex’s family, Minnesota has a responsibility to get you justice," he said. "And Minnesota has a responsibility to show the rest of the nation just how wrong this is."
Miller says they're evaluating why the CBP 'may not have been following that protocol'
Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller said that the initial statement from DHS — which initially said Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement" — was based on reports from Customs and Border Protection on the ground.
"Additionally, the White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors," Miller said yesterday.
"We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol," he continued.
Trump tells Minneapolis mayor he's 'playing with fire'
Trump told Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey that he is "playing with fire" after Frey said he told border czar Tom Homan that the city "does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws" and will focus on keeping residents safe.
Frey said he told Homan, who was dispatched to Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, that he wants Operation Metro Surge to end.
"Public safety works best when it’s built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division," the mayor wrote on X. "I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers."
Trump responded in a post on Truth Social.
"Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, 'Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.' This is after having had a very good conversation with him," Trump wrote. "Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!"
Man shot in incident involving Border Patrol in Arizona
A man who the FBI said has a criminal history of human smuggling was shot and wounded by a Border Patrol agent in Arizona yesterday after allegedly firing at agents, officials said.
Patrick Gary Schlegel, a 34-year-old Arizona resident, was shot around 7:30 a.m. in Arivaca, about 10 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, said Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix field division.
Schlegel was shot after a foot chase following a traffic stop related to an "active alien smuggling matter," Janke said during a news conference.
Two federal officers fired guns in Pretti shooting, initial DHS report says
Two federal officers fired their guns during Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting, according to an initial review by the Department of Homeland Security that was obtained by NBC News.
The preliminary report, from a Customs and Border Protection internal investigation led by the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility, was sent to congressional committees yesterday, including the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees, according to three sources.
The report says that during the encounter Jan. 24, an officer yelled “He’s got a gun!” multiple times and then “approximately five seconds later a BPA [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO [Customs and Border Protection officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.”
It’s unclear from the report whether the bullets from both officers’ guns hit Pretti.
The report also did not make any mention of Pretti attacking officers or brandishing a gun, as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed in the aftermath of the shooting.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that “the initial statement was based on reports from CBP from a very chaotic scene on the ground." "That’s precisely why an investigation is underway and DHS will let the facts lead the investigation," the spokesperson added.
How daily life in Minneapolis has transformed since federal agents flooded the streets
These days, it’s hard to do anything here without coming across the city’s grief over the killing of two Americans by immigration agents, residents say.
Anti-ICE signs are plastered on streetlights and hang over walking bridges. “Know your rights” flyers sit next to the cream and sugar at local coffee shops.
"When I go to the grocery store now, it’s like, this all feels so weird to be doing normal things when we feel like we’re under attack," Ann Cary said as she handed out doughnuts Sunday to people around the site of Alex Pretti’s killing.
Since December, the surge of federal immigration personnel to Minnesota led to the apprehension of more than 3,000 migrants in what the Department of Homeland Security has called “the largest immigration enforcement operation ever.” During that time, federal immigration officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
The fallout from the deaths and the unprecedented immigration crackdown now permeates daily life throughout the city.
Ecuador says ICE agents were prevented from entering its Minneapolis consulate
The Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned an ICE agent’s unsuccessful attempt to enter the country’s consulate in Minneapolis yesterday.
"Consulate staff immediately prevented the ICE official from entering the consular building, thereby guaranteeing the protection of the Ecuadorians who found themselves in the consular building in that moment, and activating emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Movement," according to the ministry’s statement on the attempt, which it says happened around 11 a.m.
In a video circulating on social media and geolocated by NBC News to the consulate, an employee is seen rushing to the door and opening it to a masked ICE agent. The agent tells the employee, “If you touch me, I will grab you.” The employee replies, “You cannot enter. This is the consulate, this is foreign government property.” After the agent leaves, the consular employee says he is making a call, and another employee says that the agents had followed people there.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said it had issued "a note of protest" to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador over the incident.
Man arrested after Omar attacked during Minneapolis town hall
A man who confronted Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., at a Minneapolis town hall yesterday and tried to spray her with a substance, was arrested and placed in police custody.
Omar, who has faced a barrage of near-daily attacks from Trump, had called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment moments before the man lunged toward her.
The suspect, named in the Hennepin County Jail roster as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested on suspicion of assault but has yet to be formally charged.
The man walked down the middle of the room and tried to spray a liquid at Omar, while he appeared to yell, “You must resign,” before a security guard tackled him to the ground. A person was then heard saying, “Oh, my God, he sprayed something on her,” adding that it had a foul odor.
New video shows moments before Pretti shooting
A newly released video shows Alex Pretti in a confrontation with federal officers in the minutes before he was shot.
The video shows officers trying to push him out of the street. DHS says officers were trying to arrest a suspect with a domestic assault conviction when protesters started gathering.
The new images followed more clashes overnight, with anti-ICE protesters surrounding a hotel where they believe federal officers are staying. Police made 26 arrests.
