Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino is reportedly expected to leave Minneapolis as backlash grows over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti.
Bovino and some other federal agents are set to depart from the city as early as Tuesday, multiple outlets reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.
The Department of Homeland Security has denied that Bovino, has been removed from his “commander at large” position, as reported by The Atlantic.
The publication said, citing a DHS official and others familiar with the matter, that Bovino would return to his former role in El Centro, California, after a border patrol agent shot and killed Pretti in Minneapolis.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin later said Bovino “has NOT been relieved of his duties.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Monday he spoke with President Donald Trump and learned some federal agents will leave the city beginning Tuesday.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also spoke to Trump on Monday, and said the president agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota.”
This comes after Trump announced he’s sending border czar Tom Homan to oversee ICE operations in Minnesota. Trump said Homan will report directly to him.
Read MoreWho is Tom Homan? Trump’s border czar heading to Minneapolis amid protests
Kristi Noem sees odds of being fired spike on Polymarket in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
Key Points
- Trump 'concerned' over Alex Pretti shooting: report
- DHS insists Greg Bovino has 'NOT been relieved of his duties'
- Tom Homan spends hours at the White House before trip to Minnesota: report
- Tim Walz claims Trump to consider ‘reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota’
- Kristi Noem insists Alex Pretti 'violently' attacked federal agents - watch
- Kathy Hochul doubles down on calls for Kristi Noem to resign after report that Greg Bovino was ousted
Full story: Greg Bovino set to leave Minneapolis and could ‘retire’ in wake of Alex Pretti killing, report says
07:30 , Mike BediganBorder Patrol “commander at large” Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role in Minneapolis and will return to his old job in California, according to a report.
Bovino, who has been heavily involved in crackdowns on immigration across the country, will return to El Centro and could even “retire soon,” a DHS official and two other sources told The Atlantic.
However, in an online statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin strongly denied the claims.
“Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties,” she wrote on X in response to the reports, adding that Bovino “is a key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
Read on...
Greg Bovino set to leave Minneapolis and could ‘retire,’ report says
Cruz advises Trump administration to cool the rhetoric after federal immigration agent-involved shootings
07:00 , Rachel DobkinSenator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, has advised the Trump administration to cool the rhetoric after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in the past month.
“The administration is doing a fantastic job securing the border....they're doing a terrific job going and arresting violent criminals, murderers and rapists and gang bangers...What I think the administration could do better is the tone with which they're describing this,” Cruz recently said on his podcast.
He continued: “Escalating the rhetoric doesn't help. And it actually loses credibility. And so I, I would encourage the administration to be more measured, to recognize the tragedy and to say, we don't want anyone's lives to be lost.”
Fetterman refuses to support a government shutdown after Democrats vow to oppose spending bill with ICE funding
06:30 , Rachel DobkinSenator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, has refused to support a government shutdown after Democrats vowed to oppose a spending bill with funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
After Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by a Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis Saturday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling —and unacceptable in any American city...Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
In a Fox News interview Monday, Fetterman said, “I absolutely hope we can engage in a debate and make some kinds of the common sense reforms on ICE and make it more safe, more humane...but for me, I remain to be the one Democrat, at least, that refuses to shut our government down.”
Fetterman says he would like to engage in a debate on reforming ICE but says he will never support a government shutdown. pic.twitter.com/pjp5tFS1BV
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 27, 2026
Trump 'concerned' over Alex Pretti shooting: report
06:00 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump is “concerned” about the sustainability of the immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer on Saturday, according to a new NBC News report.
“The president, I think, is obviously concerned about what he saw over the weekend,” one unnamed Trump adviser told the outlet, “He has always been exceptionally good at reading public perception, and understands this has not been handled well.”
Pretti’s death has caused more public outcry in an already tense situation between the Trump administration and Americans across the country who oppose its mass deportation efforts and the tactics agents are using to carry it out.
The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment.
Watch: White House blames Democrats and distances Trump from ‘assassin’ remarks on killed Minneapolis protester
05:30 , Rachel DobkinAlex Pretti's sister shares statement about 'hero' brother who 'wanted to make a difference'
05:00 , Rachel DobkinMicayla Pretti, the younger sister of Alex Pretti, has shared a statement about her “hero'’ brother who she said “wanted to make a difference in this world.”
Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Saturday after getting into a confrontation between federal agents and civilians.
“Alex was kind, generous, and had a way of lighting up every room he walked into,” the statement, shared by the Associated Press, read. “I had the privilege of being his little sister for 32 years. I will never be able to hug him, laugh with him, or cry to him again because of those thugs—and that is a pain no words can fully capture.”
“Alex always wanted to make a difference in this world, and it’s devastating that he won’t be here to witness the impact he was making,” Micayla continued. “My brother is, and always will be, my hero.”
Full statement from Micayla Pretti, younger sister of Alex Pretti, who was killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday: pic.twitter.com/g7qAohrAts
— Michael Biesecker (@NewsDudeAP) January 27, 2026
Pretti, an ICU nurse, had participated in protests following the fatal shooting of another U.S. citizen, Renee Good, at the hands of an Immigration and Customs officer earlier this month, the AP reported.
Homeland Security Department Secretary Kristi Noem said in the immediate aftermath of Pretti’s death that he had participated in “domestic terrorism,” a claim quickly refuted by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“I don’t think anybody thinks that they were comparing what happened on Saturday to the legal definition of domestic terrorism. What we saw was a very violent altercation, and I’m not going to prejudge the facts,” Blanche told Fox News.
Alex Pretti's heartbroken former patient said 'he did not deserve' to be fatally shot
04:30 , Rachel DobkinA former patient of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday, said she was ‘heartbroken” over his death, adding that “he did not deserve it.”
Marta Crownhart, a veteran whom Pretti cared for in intensive care earlier this month, told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that it was “heartbreaking to see the video. It was heartbreaking to know when I found out it was him. What was worse was listening to [Department of Homeland Security Secretary] Kristi Noem talk about him the way she did.”
A veteran whom Alex Pretti cared for in the ICU earlier this month: "It was heartbreaking to see the video. It was heartbreaking to know when I found out it was him. What was worse was listening to Kristi Noem talk about him the way she did." pic.twitter.com/ZWtJrD6stw
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 27, 2026
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Noem called the alleged actions of Pretti “domestic terrorism,” a claim quickly refuted by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Pretti was shot multiple times after getting in a confrontation between federal agents and civilians. Noem said agents had been conducting a operation against an undocumented immigrant when a person approached Border Patrol officers with a handgun.
The only thing Pretti appeared to be holding in his hands during the confrontation was a phone, according to footage of the incident.
“It just broke my heart to see what they did to him and he did not deserve it,” Crownhart said.
Kash Patel says FBI investigating Signal group chats in Minnesota
04:00 , Rachel DobkinFBI Director Kash Patel has said that his agency is investigating Signal group chats in Minnesota that share information about federal immigration agents.
In a video released earlier Monday, Patel told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, “You cannot create a scenario that illegally entraps and puts law enforcement in harm’s way.”
He later told Fox News “Only if you incite violence and/or threaten to do harm to law enforcement officials and break the law in any other way does it become an investigatory matter.”
.@FBIDirectorKash: “This Signal chat is something that we, the FBI, are looking at…” https://t.co/bbsC2YVrKx pic.twitter.com/ov1FbwgdjW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 27, 2026
Watch: Kristi Noem insists Alex Pretti 'violently' attacked federal agents
03:30 , Rachel DobkinMinneapolis woman calls Alex Pretti a 'good neighbor' who 'believed in helping people'
03:05 , Rachel DobkinA Minneapolis woman has called Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old U.S. citizen who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol officer “good neighbor” who “believed in helping people.”
"While I didn’t know him well, I did know he was a good neighbor," Beth Johnson told NBC News. "He believed in helping people and he had a kind heart."
Pretti was in a confrontation with federal agents and civilians when he was killed on the streets of Minneapolis on Saturday.
Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse for the Department of Veterans Affairs, his family said.
“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], as millions of other people are upset,” Michael Pretti, Alex’s father, told the Associated Press.
Kathy Hochul doubles down on calls for Kristi Noem to resign after report that Greg Bovino was ousted
02:45 , Rachel DobkinNew York Governor Kathy Hochul has doubled down on her calls for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign after The Atlantic reported that Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino was removed from his “commander at large” role.
DHS has denied that Bovin was “relieved of his duties.”
Hochul previously said Noem had “forfeited her right to lead” after a Border Patrol officer fatally shot U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis over the weekend.
Read more...
New York governor calls on Kristi Noem to resign as Homeland Security Secretary
Senator calls for Kristi Noem to be removed as DHS head after report that Greg Bovino was ousted
02:25 , Rachel DobkinSenator Alex Padilla, a California Democrat, has called for Kristi Noem to be removed as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after The Atlantic reported that Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino was removed from his role of “commander at large.”
“This is a good start, but it’s not nearly enough. Noem has to go,” Padilla wrote on X Monday.
This is a good start, but it’s not nearly enough. Noem has to go. https://t.co/0gAQaIoVCJ
— Senator Alex Padilla (@SenAlexPadilla) January 27, 2026
Trump’s DOJ wants Minnesota blocked from Alex Pretti evidence as judges consider next moves for federal surge
02:05 , Alex WoodwardFederal judges in Minnesota could decide whether to block Homeland Security from investigating the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and pull federal officers from the state altogether, potentially ending Donald Trump’s surge.
Hours after the shooting, Minnesota law enforcement agencies sued to block Homeland Security officials from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting. A Trump-appointed judge granted the order later that night.
But lawyers for the Department of Justice want the judge to dissolve the restraining order, insisting that “it’s a federal matter now.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Friedrich Siekert told Judge Eric C. Tostrud on Monday that any state requests for evidence in a potential criminal investigation against the agents who opened fire on Pretti would likely be available through standard public records requests — only after “the conclusion of all federal matters.”
Read on...
DOJ wants Minnesota blocked from Alex Pretti evidence as judges take on Trump surge
Tom Homan spends hours at the White House before trip to Minnesota: report
01:45 , Rachel DobkinBorder Czar Tom Homan spent hours at the White House Monday before his trip to Minneapolis, according to a new report.
NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer wrote on X, “Tom Homan has been at the White House most of the day today, a source within the White House tells me tonight.”
Tom Homan has been at the White House most of the day today, a source within the White House tells me tonight.
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) January 27, 2026
President Trump is sending Homan to Minnesota tomorrow to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations there and head to Minneapolis. He will meet with the…
President Donald Trump announced earlier that Homan will travel to Minnesota Monday night.
“He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” the president wrote on Truth Social Monday morning.
Gavin Newsom trolls Trump administration following report that Greg Bovino was ousted
01:26 , Rachel DobkinCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom trolled the Trump administration Monday, following a report that Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino was removed from his role as “commander at large.”
“Now do Stephen Miller,” Newsom said, referring to the White House deputy chief of staff known as the architect of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
Now do Stephen Miller https://t.co/9ElnZTAPD4
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 27, 2026
The Atlantic reported that Bovino would return to his former role in California after another fatal shooting involving a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis this month.
Miller called Alex Pretti a “would-be assassin” who “tried to murder federal law enforcement” after a Border Patrol officer shot and killed the 37-year-old U.S. citizen on Saturday. Miller did not provide evidence to back up his claims.
Pretti had been in a confrontation with federal agents and civilians, which turned lethal when a gun was found in his waistband, according to footage of the incident.
Greg Bovino temporarily blocked from his social media accounts: report
01:05 , Rachel DobkinThe Department of Homeland Security has suspended Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino’s access to his social media accounts, an unnamed source told CNN.
After a Border Patrol officer fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, Bovino had gone on social media to defend his agency.
DHS insists Greg Bovino has 'NOT been relieved of his duties'
00:45 , Rachel DobkinTricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said Monday Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino has “NOT been relieved of his duties,” and called him a “key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
This comes following a report from The Atlantic that Bovino was removed from his role as “commander at large.”
Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the President’s team and a great American. https://t.co/qj3E9B8uzg
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) January 27, 2026
Full story: Tim Walz claims Trump to consider ‘reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota’ in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
00:30 , Alex WoodwardThe office of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says Donald Trump is considering withdrawing some federal immigration officers who have surged in the state following a “productive” phone call with the president.
In a statement, the governor said the president agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” and work with the state “in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.” At least 2,000 federal officers have surged into Minnesota in recent weeks to carry out Trump’s deportation push.
The statement followed Trump’s claim on Truth Social that he is on a “similar wavelength” with the governor, after growing outrage in the aftermath of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, where federal officers surging into the state shot and killed a 37-year-old demonstrator.
The statements appear to diffuse months of threats against Walz and other Democratic officials, whom the administration is investigating for allegedly criminally obstructing immigration enforcement in the state.
Read on...
Tim Walz and Jacob Frey say Trump will withdraw federal officers in Minnesota
What is happening with Border Patrol's Gregory Bovino?
00:07 , Rachel DobkinThere are reports that Border Patrol leader Gregory Bovino is leaving Minneapolis after the deadly shooting of a U.S. citizen involving one of his own agents.
A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Bovino and some other agents are set to leave the city as early as Tuesday.
The Atlantic reported that Bovino has lost his job as “commander at large” and will return to his former role in California, according to a Department of Homeland Security official and two people with knowledge of the matter.
The Independent has reached out to DHS and Border Patrol for comment.
Border Patrol chief blames Democrats and journalists for Minneapolis chaos – but dodges questions on fatal shooting
00:00 , Mike BediganA top Border Control official has blamed Democrats and journalists for the chaos in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal agents, but dodged questions on whether the agency bore responsibility for the tragedies.
Keep reading:
Border Patrol chief blames Democrats and journalists for Minneapolis chaos
Kristi Noem sees odds of being fired spike on Polymarket in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
Monday 26 January 2026 23:40 , Io DoddsKristi Noem's odds of being the first Trump cabinet member to get fired have surged among political bettors after her attempts to defend the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
On both Polymarket and Kalshi, two popular 'prediction market' sites, the Homeland Security secretary now leads the pack for the question "Who will be the first to leave the Trump Cabinet?"
Having been tipped at only 12 percent probability on January 21, Noem had soared to 40 percent on Kalshi and 43 percent on Polymarket as of Monday afternoon.
Keep reading:
Kristi Noem’s odds of being fired spike on Polymarket in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
Watch: White House refuses to say if Stephen Miller will apologize for calling Alex Pretti a 'would-be assassin'
Monday 26 January 2026 23:20 , Katie HawkinsonMinneapolis mayor says some federal agents will start leaving city tomorrow
Monday 26 January 2026 22:44 , Katie HawkinsonMinneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed he spoke with President Donald Trump today and said he learned that some federal agents will leave the area starting Tuesday.
“I expressed how much Minneapolis has benefited from our immigrant communities and was clear that my main ask is that Operation Metro Surge needs to end. The president agreed the present situation can’t continue,” Frey wrote on X.
“Some federal agents will begin leaving the area tomorrow, and I will continue pushing for the rest involved in this operation to go,” he added.
Trump had 'very good' phone call with Minneapolis mayor
Monday 26 January 2026 22:40 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump said he had a “very good” phone call with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey today.
“I just had a very good telephone conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey, of Minneapolis. Lots of progress is being made! Tom Homan will be meeting with him tomorrow in order to continue the discussion. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also spoke with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz earlier today, and said in a Truth Social post they were both on a “similar wavelength.”
DHS said it kept body cam footage of Alex Pretti shooting
Monday 26 January 2026 22:16 , Katie HawkinsonCustoms and Border Protection has “preserved” body camera footage of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, according to court documents filed today.
When asked earlier today if the body camera footage would be released, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded: “That's not something I've heard the president commit to, so I won't do that from the podium.”
Trump concerned about administration's response to shooting: report
Monday 26 January 2026 22:09 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump was unhappy with how his administration was coming across as he watched news coverage of the Minneapolis shooting over the weekend, according to a report from CNN.
This report comes after Trump announced he’s sending border czar Tom Homan to oversee ICE operations in Minnesota. However, the White House maintains that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem still has Trump’s “utmost confidence and trust.”
CNN and the Associated Press also reported that Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are expected to leave Minneapolis tomorrow.
The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment. The White House referred The Independent to comments made by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier today.
“Mr. Bovino is a wonderful man, and he's a great professional. He is going to very much continue to lead Customs and Border Patrol throughout and across the country. Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis,” she said.
Kansas senator 'deeply troubled' by Minneapolis shootings
Monday 26 January 2026 21:40 , Katie HawkinsonKansas Senator Jerry Moran said he’s “deeply troubled” by the shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month.
“Our Constitution provides citizens protection from the government. We have a right to free speech, to peaceably assemble and to bear arms,” he wrote on X.
“We also expect government to protect us from lawless behavior. Enforcing immigration laws that remove dangerous criminals from our streets and neighborhoods makes us safer and increases our national security. This can only be accomplished if local, state and federal officials work together to uphold the law,” he added.
New York governor leads calls for Kristi Noem to resign as Homeland Security Secretary: ‘She has forfeited her right to lead’
Monday 26 January 2026 21:30 , Joe SommerladNew York Gov. Kathy Hochul has called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign following the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, arguing that she has “forfeited her right to lead.”
Keep reading:
New York governor calls on Kristi Noem to resign as Homeland Security Secretary
MAGA provocateurs want whistles used by Minnesota protesters to be ‘considered a violent weapon’
Monday 26 January 2026 21:15 , Justin BaragonaAlt-right provocateur Mike Cernovich fumed Sunday about the “hearing loss causing machines that terrorists use” against immigration enforcement officers and calling for them to be considered “violent weapons,” seemingly referring to the whistles used by Minnesota protesters and residents to signal ICE activity in the area.
Keep reading:
MAGA influencers want anti-ICE protester whistles to be ‘considered a violent weapon’
Utah senator slams Noem's 'premature' response to shooting
Monday 26 January 2026 21:00 , Katie HawkinsonUtah Senator John Curtis, a Republican, slammed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s “premature” response after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis over the weekend.
“We must have a transparent, independent investigation into the Minnesota shooting, and those responsible—no matter their title—must be held accountable. Officials who rush to judgment before all the facts are known undermine public trust and the law-enforcement mission,” Curtis wrote on X.
“I disagree with Secretary Noem’s premature DHS response, which came before all the facts were known and weakened confidence,” he added.
This comes after his colleague, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, called on the leaders of ICE, CBP and USCIS to testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee by February 12.
Watch: Video of Alex Pretti honoring deceased veteran emerges after ICU nurse shot dead by federal agents
Monday 26 January 2026 20:50 , Katie HawkinsonFootage has emerged of Alex Pretti honoring a deceased veteran while working as an ICU nurse in 2024.
Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent Saturday in Minneapolis.
Watch below:
Judge holds hearing after Minnesota officials sued Trump administration over Pretti investigation
Monday 26 January 2026 20:38 , Alex WoodwardHours after the shooting of Alex Pretti, Minnesota law enforcement agencies sued to block the Trump administration from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting.
Judge Eric Tostrud, a Trump appointee, granted the order later that night.
In the lawsuit, state officials accused federal officers of denying state law enforcement any access to the scene, including establishing a perimeter, taking photographs and collecting statements and any other physical evidence.
During a hearing in Tostrud’s court in St. Paul on Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Friedrich Siekert urged the court to dissolve the restraining order, insisting that “it’s a federal matter now.”
He said he “doesn’t know the answer” when it comes to how federal agencies would respond to state requests for evidence if a criminal investigation is opened, but he said that evidence would likely be available to the state or the public through standard public records requests only after “the conclusion of all federal matters.”
Senator calls on heads of ICE and CBP to testify
Monday 26 January 2026 20:15 , Katie HawkinsonSenator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky and chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, is calling on the heads of ICE, CBP and USCIS to testify before lawmakers.
The officials must submit their availability by Wednesday, and are expected to testify by February 12, Paul wrote.
This comes days after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Just weeks earlier, an ICE agent also shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good.
Analysis: The signs that Trump and Noem’s ICE swarm in Minnesota is falling apart after the Alex Pretti killing
Monday 26 January 2026 20:05 , Eric GarciaThe killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by Border Patrol agents set off another firestorm nationwide just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official killed Renee Good.
And just like the killing of Good, President Donald Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the rest of the administration has parroted the line alleging Pretti was a domestic terrorist.
Trump and others have publicly affirmed that Pretti came at federal agents with a firearm though multiple video recordings contradict the official story and he was licensed to carry the holstered pistol.
Senior Customs and Border Protection official Gregory Bovino went so far as to accuse Pretti of wanting to “assassinate” federal agents. After days of snowballing criticism of the Pretti killing from both sides of the political aisle, the president on Monday announced he was dispatching Tom Homan, his “border czar,” to Minneapolis.
But there is more to this seeming Trump walk-back than meets the eye.
Keep reading:
The signs that Trump’s ICE swarm in Minnesota is falling apart after Pretti killing
Watch: White House insists Trump still supports second amendment after NRA criticism
Monday 26 January 2026 19:50 , Katie HawkinsonWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted President Donald Trump still supports second amendment after NRA criticism in light of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Watch below:
Minnesota’s prisons had to launch a website to correct ‘inaccurate’ arrest info from Trump’s DHS
Monday 26 January 2026 19:30 , Katie HawkinsonDonald Trump’s administration has “repeatedly” spread “inaccurate” statements about the people who are targeted by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, according to state prison officials.
The state’s Department of Corrections has launched a website to correct what it calls “ongoing misinformation” from Homeland Security officials, including in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti.
Keep reading:
Minnesota’s prisons had to launch a website to correct ‘inaccurate’ ICE info
Governor Tim Walz decries 'campaign of organized brutality' in Minnesota
Monday 26 January 2026 19:05 , Katie HawkinsonMinnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the ongoing presence of federal immigration agents in his state, accusing them of carrying out a “campaign of organized brutality” against residents.
“The Trump administration’s assault on Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state. It isn’t just. It isn’t legal. And, critically, it isn’t making anyone any safer,” he wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Walz added that “everybody wants to see our immigration laws enforced,” but that “isn’t what is happening in Minnesota.”
“In recent weeks, masked agents have abducted children. They have separated children from their parents. They have racially profiled off-duty police officers. They have aggressively pulled people over and demanded to see their papers. They have broken into the homes of elderly citizens without warrants to drag them outside in freezing temperatures,” he wrote.
“That isn’t effective law enforcement. It isn’t following the rule of law. It’s chaos. It’s illegal. And it’s un-American,” he added.
CBP will 'no longer be needed' in Minnesota if local officials meet White House's demands
Monday 26 January 2026 18:43 , Katie HawkinsonCustoms and Border Protection agents will “no longer be needed” in Minnesota if local officials implement “common-sense cooperative measures” demanded by the Trump administration, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“If [Minnesota] Governor Walz and [Minneapolis] Mayor Frey implement these common-sense cooperative measures, CBP will no longer be needed to support ICE on the ground in Minnesota. ICE and local law enforcement will peacefully work together, as they are effectively doing in so many other states and jurisdictions, to remove violent criminals from American neighborhoods across the country,” she said.
White House addresses Stephen Miller's claim Alex Pretti was a 'would-be assassin'
Monday 26 January 2026 18:37 , Katie HawkinsonWhen asked if Stephen Miller would apologize to Alex Pretti’s family after claiming the 37-year-old nurse was a “would-be assassin,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the shooting remains “under investigation.”
“This incident remains under investigation, and nobody here at the White House, including the President of the United States, wants to see Americans hurt or killed and losing their lives in American streets, and we mourn for the parents,” Leavitt responded.
Karoline Leavitt praises Kristi Noem and Tom Homan
Monday 26 January 2026 18:34 , Katie HawkinsonWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has the “utmost confidence” of President Donald Trump after he announced border czar Tom Homan will now oversee ICE operations in Minnesota.
Leavitt’s statement comes after a reporter asked if the president is “dissatisfied” with how officials have handled the response in Minneapolis.
“Mr. Homan is doing an exceptional job, and he has been working with Secretary Noem and President Trump over the course of the last year. Secretary Noem still has the utmost confidence and trust of the President of the United States, and she's continuing to oversee the entire Department of Homeland Security and all of the immigration enforcement that's taking place across the whole entire country,” Leavitt said.
White House outlines Trump's demands for Walz
Monday 26 January 2026 18:27 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump has given Minnesota Governor Tim Walz “a clear and simple path to restoring law and order” in the state, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“Number one, Governor Walz, [Minneapolis] Mayor Frey and all Democrat leaders should turn over all criminal illegal aliens currently incarcerated in their prisons and jails to federal authorities, along with any illegal aliens with active warrants or known criminal histories for immediate deportation,” Leavitt said.
“Number two, state and local law enforcement must agree to turn over all illegal aliens who are arrested by local police. And then, thirdly, local police must assist federal law enforcement in apprehending and detaining illegal aliens who are wanted for crimes, especially violent crimes,” Leavitt added.
Trump said he and Walz had a “very good” phone call earlier today. Walz later said Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” during their call.