What Happened in Minnesota

As of May 5th, 2026, at least two U.S. citizens have been shot by I.C.E. and U.S. Border Patrol in Minnesota. The White House claims that these agencies are helping the security of the nation, when in reality, they threaten and kill the country’s citizens.

This all started back in early December 2025, when U.S. President Donald Trump sent I.C.E. agents to the Twin-Cities area in “Operation Metro Surge.” This order was met with heavy protests from Minnesotans in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, and in other areas throughout the state. President Trump later threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act after labeling the protesters as “insurrectionists.” In total, around 3000 agents from both I.C.E. and Border Patrol were sent to Minnesota.

What most people worried would happen did happen on January 7th. On this day, Renee Nicole Macklin Good was fatally shot by I.C.E. agents while she was in her car. Renee Good was parked on a street when I.C.E. agents approached her vehicle, shouting different and unintelligible directions at her. Good then tried to reverse away from the agents. One of the agents then attempted to open the driver-side door of her Honda Pilot, which Good reacted to by trying to drive away. This was when one of the agents shot her three times. The I.C.E. agents claimed the actions were in self-defense, as they believed Good was going to run them over, but footage reveals that the officer shot Good after her front wheels had passed the agents. The DHS later released a statement calling Good a “violent” rioter who “weaponized her vehicle,” in addition to calling what Good did an “act of domestic terrorism.” In a news conference about an hour after the DHS statement, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey later told I.C.E. to “get the fuck out of Minneapolis.” 

Later that month, on January 24th, 2026, another U.S. citizen was killed in Minnesota by federal forces. His name was Alex Jeffery Pretti. Pretti was a nurse at a V.A. hospital. His parents described him as a “hero.” Even in his final moments, he was still trying to save people. Moments before his death, he tried helping a woman who Border Patrol agents had shoved to the ground. He approached the agents, then was violently tackled by 8 Border Patrol agents and shot as many as ten times. One of the agents who tackled him had disarmed Pretti of his legal handgun. After this, a shot can be heard, which people theorized came from the Pretti’s gun being operated by one of the agents. Another agent who saw Pretti being disarmed then fired three shots into Pretti’s back. 6 more shots can be heard. After the killing, one of the agents said “Boo hoo” to protesters. 

According to Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, “An individual approached Border Patrol agents with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.” When looking at a video of the interaction, it’s clear that he approached them with a phone in hand. Bovino continued, “The agents attempted to disarm the individual, but he violently resisted.” Again, when looking at a video of what happened, there is no evidence to back up Bovino’s claim. There is no evidence of Pretti brandishing his gun, threatening agents, or resisting arrest. 

Additionally, at the time, F.B.I. director Kash Patel stated, “You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines, to any kind of protest you want.” This is false. You absolutely can, as long as the weapon is registered and used legally, which in Pretti’s case, was both. Apparently, guns are fine when storming the Capitol, but having a registered gun, in an open carry state, whilst approaching federal agents is in violation of the law.

We can clearly see that the government is feeding Americans propaganda. They want to use their secret police to detain and kill anyone, no matter their rights or citizen status. As “the land of the free,” we cannot allow this administration to deny the rights of citizens, ignore the Constitution, and murder our neighbors. If we falter, we risk losing our freedom and our rights as we know them.