US Immigration Crackdown Faces Increasing Scrutiny Amid Deadly Incidents and Backlash

The recent fatal shooting in Minneapolis has added to a growing number of deaths in immigration enforcement operations this month, prompting increased scrutiny on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Since January, five shootings have occurred, including the fatal incident involving Renee Good, an ICE officer who shot and killed a woman with whom she was driving.

At least six immigrants have died in federal detention centers within the last month, a concerning development given this unusually rapid rate of deaths. With $170 billion allocated for immigration agencies through September 2029, President Trump’s administration has escalated its efforts to remove perceived illegal immigrants from U.S. soil.

Minneapolis is at the forefront of these intensified enforcement actions with approximately 3,000 federal agents deployed in the city. Despite protests demanding withdrawal of law enforcement and calls for President Trump to cease such militarized operations, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets despite sub-zero temperatures on Friday, voicing opposition.

The Minneapolis shooting incident involving Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen who was working as a registered nurse at the time, is currently under investigation. Initial accounts from Homeland Security indicated that a Border Patrol agent fired upon Pretti in response to resistance; however, local leaders have questioned this account and disputed claims about weapons used during the incident.

Footage released by Reuters shows agents pepper-spraying Pretti and other protesters as he filmed them with his cellphone. After multiple attempts to disarmed him proved unsuccessful, a federal agent reportedly drew their weapon and fired shots. The man is identified in news reports as Alex Pretti.

In another fatal shooting earlier this month, Jonathan Ross of ICE targeted Renee Good, who tried to ram her vehicle out of control during the enforcement action, leading DHS to classify her as a “domestic terrorist.”

This escalatory phase has also included other incidents. On January 14 in Portland, Oregon, U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and injured Luis Nino-Moncada and his companion after they allegedly assaulted law enforcement. A federal agent was charged for the shooting.

On January 15, an ICE officer shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis due to a misidentified immigration violation by DHS authorities. Court documents revealed that the incident arose from incorrect license plate scanning rather than any aggression or assault by the detainee.

Moreover, six immigrants have died within detention facilities since the beginning of 2026—three more fatalities compared to at least 30 deaths last year. Geraldo Lunas Campos received particular scrutiny for his death in Texas, with conflicting initial accounts from ICE and federal authorities now supported by a report from the El Paso County medical examiner.

A Nicaraguan man named Victor Manuel Diaz has also died under investigation in Georgia’s detention center; both men are presumed to have taken their own lives. Another fatality occurred within Houston and Philadelphia jurisdictions.

President Trump’s administration has significantly expanded immigration detention facilities, with over 69,000 individuals held as of early January. Notably, approximately 43% of the detainees without criminal charges or convictions were apprehended by ICE.

These events highlight the often contentious nature of U.S. immigration policies and enforcement efforts, raising questions about accountability, tactics, and potential human rights violations in the context of President Trump’s administration.