Minneapolis Postal Worker Describes Chaos During ICE Crackdown

Bianca Sonnenberg witnessed the aftermath of a deadly ICE operation while delivering mail in her South Minneapolis neighborhood.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Bianca Sonnenberg, a postal worker in South Minneapolis, recounts the disruption and fear she experienced while delivering mail during an ICE crackdown in the area. She describes witnessing the aftermath of a deadly ICE operation, including seeing a memorial for a man named Alex Pretti who was killed, and having to navigate through tear gas and chaos to ensure her customers received their mail.

Why it matters

Sonnenberg's firsthand account sheds light on the real-world impacts of aggressive immigration enforcement tactics on local communities, even those not directly targeted. Her story highlights the difficult position postal workers can find themselves in when caught in the middle of such disruptive law enforcement actions.

The details

Sonnenberg, who is Native American, says she has become increasingly concerned about ICE detaining Indigenous people in Minneapolis and around the country. She now wears her postal uniform home, fearing she could be targeted if she's not in uniform. On one delivery, Sonnenberg encountered the aftermath of a deadly ICE operation, including a memorial for a man named Alex Pretti who had been killed. She also had to navigate through tear gas and chaos to ensure her customers received their mail, even as neighbors urged her to stay safe.

  • On January 24, Sonnenberg's supervisor informed postal workers that ICE had killed someone close to their route.
  • The deadly ICE operation Sonnenberg witnessed occurred in front of Glam Doll Donuts on her block.

The players

Bianca Sonnenberg

A postal worker in South Minneapolis who recounted her experiences delivering mail during an ICE crackdown in the area.

Alex Pretti

A man who was killed during the ICE operation that Sonnenberg witnessed, and for whom a memorial was set up on her mail route.

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What they’re saying

“You don't think about that when you are ordering a package. You don't think, 'Oh, I'm not gonna be here to get my package.'”

— Bianca Sonnenberg, Postal Worker (Reveal)

“It's really sad that he was taken and he did nothing wrong. I've seen the videos, and he didn't do anything wrong. He didn't reach for any gun and all the stuff that they're trying to make him seem like. First of all, they were calling him an assassin...but then it's, 'We gotta go through a full investigation.' How can you say that?”

— Bianca Sonnenberg, Postal Worker (Reveal)

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security announced it will end Operation Metro Surge after months of chaos, including the killings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, and immense community resistance.

The takeaway

Sonnenberg's account highlights the disruptive and traumatic impact that aggressive immigration enforcement actions can have on local communities, even for those not directly targeted, and the difficult position it puts public servants like postal workers in when caught in the middle.