ICE Kills ICU Nurse Alex Pretti

By Christopher Landa

On Jan. 24, 2026, 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, was fatally shot by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents (ICE) during one of the many active protests of ICE activities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pepper-sprayed, tackled, beaten, and then shot ten times within a span of five seconds, Pretti’s death sparked a wave of anger within the general American populace and a renewed motivation for protest throughout the country.

The White House's initial response to this event was to dehumanize Pretti. White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller described him as “a domestic terrorist who tried to assassinate law enforcement” due to Pretti’s possession of a legal holstered firearm before his interaction with the officers. However, this rhetoric was quickly abandoned due to public outrage. The National Rifle Association (NRA) would also criticize the Trump administration's attempt to justify the shooting by way of Pretti's carrying of a firearm.

ICE officers were initially in the area in pursuit of an undocumented immigrant who had been living in the US for over two decades and who was currently in the process of applying for a U-visa, which is a visa specifically made for victims of crime. This immigrant hid in a nearby shop for over 4 hours during the time Pretti was attacked. 

Pretti’s family would release a statement expressing their heartbreak and would condemn the “sickening lies” the Trump administration spread about their son. Corporations, unions, and celebrities all began to speak out against the activity of ICE agents in Minneapolis. Singer Bruce Springsteen would release a protest song, “Streets of Minneapolis,” in response to the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Policing experts would also comment on the actions of ICE officers at the scene, calling their methods “laughable” and “shameful.”

Many memorials would spring up in the Minneapolis area after Pretti’s death, including outside of the hospital he worked at, as the country and his community came together in mourning.