U.S. immigration agents face backlash after Minneapolis killings

U.S. immigration agents face criticism for inadequate training after fatal shootings in Minneapolis, raising serious safety concerns.

The fatal shooting of two civilians in Minneapolis has reignited accusations that federal agents enforcing U.S. President Donald Trump's militarised immigration crackdown are inexperienced, under-trained and operating outside law enforcement norms.

The deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, on the streets of Minneapolis in broad daylight "should raise serious questions within the administration about the adequacy of immigration enforcement training and the instructions officers are given on carrying out their mission," said Lisa Murkowski, a Republican Senator from Alaska.

Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz said on Sunday (January 25, 2026) the Trump administration needs to "pull these 3,000 untrained agents out of Minnesota before they kill another person."

Minneapolis has become the latest epicenter of Trump's immigration crackdown — a top domestic priority this term — with the Department of Homeland Security's federal agents carrying out patrols and raids.

Thousands of masked agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been roving Minneapolis streets, despite protests of local leaders and residents in the wake of the killings and conflicts that occur in the course of their enforcement activities.

"These untrained, masked agents aren't making communities safer — they're occupying cities, inciting violence, and violating the Constitution," wrote New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, in a post on X.