ICE Killings in Minneapolis Spark Outrage and Calls for Reform

The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during a federal immigration crackdown have eroded public support for the Trump administration's hardline policies.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 4:39am

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The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month have sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The incidents, which echo the civil rights protests of the 1960s, have undermined the Trump administration's efforts to project strength through a militarized response, and instead exposed the brutality of its immigration enforcement tactics to a politically persuadable public.

Why it matters

The more force that strong states deploy, the more they risk exposing their own brutality to politically persuadable observers. Overreach doesn't just project strength; it also undermines legitimacy. The Trump administration's crackdown in Minneapolis is the latest example of how visible state violence against sympathetic civilians can become a turning point, as it was in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

The details

In two separate incidents, federal immigration agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both trying to protect others during the crackdown. The killings have drawn comparisons to the 1965 death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, whose killing by state troopers in Alabama helped spur the Selma to Montgomery marches and the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

  • On January 15, 2026, federal immigration agents killed Renee Good in her car after she stopped to help her immigrant neighbors.
  • On January 18, 2026, federal immigration agents killed Alex Pretti as he came to the aid of a woman during the crackdown.

The players

Renee Good

A 32-year-old Minneapolis resident who was killed by federal immigration agents while trying to protect her immigrant neighbors.

Alex Pretti

A 28-year-old Minneapolis resident who was killed by federal immigration agents as he came to the aid of a woman during the crackdown.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for the killings of Good and Pretti, which has faced growing calls for its abolition in the wake of the incidents.

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What they’re saying

“The more force that strong states deploy, the more they risk exposing their own brutality to politically persuadable observers.”

— Omar Wasow, Political scientist

“Winning a physical fight isn't the same as winning an argument.”

— Omar Wasow, Political scientist

What’s next

Key Democrats in the Senate, including Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, have announced they will block legislation that contains funding for the Department of Homeland Security, imperiling a spending deal needed to avert a government shutdown.

The takeaway

The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have eroded public support for the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, exposing the brutality of its tactics and undermining its efforts to project strength through a militarized response. This echoes the civil rights movement of the 1960s, where visible state violence against sympathetic civilians became a turning point that helped pass landmark legislation.