Pushback Against ICE—
Anti-ICE protest in Downtown LA Jan. 24, 2026
Mike Moen, producer/reporter, Minnesota News Connection, a bureau of Public News Service.
Anti-ICE Protestors in SoCal over the weekend demonstrated in Downtown Los Angeles. They called for an end to the ICE crackdown. Also, they took to the streets to show outrage at the brutality and killings by ICE agents in Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Minnesotans are coming to grips with another fatal shooting carried out by federal immigration officers. Local voices say they are balancing grief with a strong will to continue defending their neighbors’ constitutional rights.
Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting
Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis followed the Renee Good tragedy a little more than two weeks ago. Some observers have criticized the descriptions by Trump administration officials of both shootings for falsehoods. Many say the videos from the scene contradict statements defending the officers’ actions.
The Minnesota-based Communities Organizing Latino Power and Action, or COPAL, says the deaths are the result of a “reckless ICE operation.”
Also, according to Francisco Segovia, the group’s executive director, people in vulnerable neighborhoods are walking a tightrope right now.
“We’re now in a very scary moment, and as an immigrant myself, I know other immigrants as well who are expressing their concern are also fearful of becoming a target,” Segovia explained. “The balance between being fearful and finding courage, it goes day by day.”
He noted the growing unity in Minnesota, including a large-scale protest last Friday, shows communities are standing firm, no matter the exhaustion being felt. COPAL called on ICE to leave the state immediately. And they demanded the release of legal observers and peaceful protesters who’ve been detained.
Response from Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security has routinely accused residents and elected officials in Minnesota of interfering with the expanded immigration enforcement. However, opponents countered that ICE agents are responsible for the tensions.
Naomi Kritzer, a writer and St. Paul resident, said she feels anger over how Trump administration officials characterized the shootings and the residents who were killed. She wants meaningful action from elected leaders, asking Democrats to exhaust any powers they have to stop ICE activity and for Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation to not blindly support what’s happening.
“This is not a complicated moral question,” Kritzer contended. “This is a situation where our state is being occupied for no reason.”
The political implications loom large this week. The U.S. Senate is expected to consider a government funding bill amid pressure to exclude funding for ICE. Segovia points out that public pressure will help. Still, he is skeptical the funds will be dropped, citing previous approval in the House. In the meantime, he called on people to donate to organizations like his that assist community members who are hiding.
“Rent, food and legal help are the three main categories that we have seen,” Segovia added.
