Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• ICE agents deport five-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras — Federal agents deported a five-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras without allowing her or her mother access to legal representation or a hearing before a judge. This incident has raised concerns about the treatment of individuals by ICE and the legality of such actions.
• ICE deported a five-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras without legal process — Federal agents deported a five-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras, a country where she had never lived, along with her mother. The agents denied both access to a lawyer or a hearing before a judge. An immigration attorney attempting to locate them was told by ICE agents that the mother and child were not in their database. The pair were held at a hotel rather than a detention center, a practice advocates suspect was designed to prevent their inclusion in official records.

Supporting reports

• FBI Director Kash Patel launches investigation into Signal group chats used by protesters — FBI Director Kash Patel announced on January 26 that he launched an investigation into Signal group chats used by protesters in Minnesota to share information about federal immigration agents, including their locations and license plate numbers. The move targets legally obtained information and the act of recording law enforcement officials, both protected by the First Amendment.
• Justice Department appeals to Eighth Circuit after judge declines to issue arrest warrants for CNN anchor and protesters — Federal prosecutors sought Chief Judge Schiltz's assistance in arresting former CNN anchor Don Lemon and others linked to an anti-ICE church protest. After Schiltz declined to overturn a magistrate's denial of arrest warrants, the Justice Department appealed directly to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The circuit court rejected the government's request, prompting Schiltz to write letters criticizing the Justice Department's approach and highlighting the flood of "illegal" detention cases overwhelming Minnesota courts.
• FBI director announced investigation of Signal chats of Minneapolis observers — FBI Director Kash Patel told a right-wing podcaster that the FBI will investigate Signal chats of those organized in Minneapolis to observe and record federal agents, to determine if they endangered federal agents. Podcaster Benny Johnson suggested the chats were "coordinated infrastructure" and asked the FBI to "take a crack at trying to get rid of this infrastructure the way they approach the mob or cartels or other terrorist networks."
• TikTok suppresses anti-ICE videos following Oracle acquisition — Following TikTok's acquisition by an Oracle-led consortium in late January 2026, users reported inability to upload videos critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Law professor Stephen Vladeck reported his anti-ICE video remained "under review" for nine hours; comedian Megan Stalter and California State Sen. Scott Wiener also reported suppression. TikTok attributed the issue to a data center outage, but the timing coincided with Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison's known Trump loyalty, raising concerns about state influence over the platform's content moderation.
• Federal agents arrested journalist Don Lemon on FACE Act and civil rights conspiracy charges — More than two dozen federal agents arrested independent journalist Don Lemon late on January 29, charging him with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and conspiring to hurt the exercise of rights—a Reconstruction-era law originally used against the Ku Klux Klan. Lemon had filmed protesters disrupting a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18 at a white nationalist church with ties to the Trump administration. A magistrate judge and federal judge had both refused to issue warrants; the administration then sought indictment via federal grand jury. Lemon stated he would plead not guilty and continue his journalism.
• Federal agents arrest Don Lemon and three journalists — On January 29, federal agents arrested Don Lemon and three other journalists in relation to their coverage of an anti-ICE protest inside a St. Paul, Minnesota church. Lemon has been charged with conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights and violating the FACE Act by allegedly obstructing access to a house of worship. The arrests come one week after a federal magistrate judge rejected the Justice Department's initial request to bring charges. Lemon's lawyer Abbe Lowell called the move an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment" and a "transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration."
• Federal magistrate and district judge refused to issue arrest warrants for Don Lemon — A federal magistrate judge refused to issue a warrant for Don Lemon and his producer, stating prosecutors had not shown evidence justifying arrest. When the administration asked a federal judge to overturn that decision, the judge also refused, calling the request "unprecedented." The administration then escalated the case to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which also refused to intervene.
• DOJ charges Don Lemon and three others with civil rights crimes related to Minnesota church protest — The Department of Justice charged former CNN anchor Don Lemon and three others with federal civil rights crimes, alleging they interfered with religious freedom at a church in Minnesota earlier in January. Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday while covering the Grammy Awards and released Friday. The charges also invoked the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. A federal magistrate judge had previously declined to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon, but the DOJ proceeded with charges anyway. The White House celebrated the arrest on social media.
• Don Lemon arrested on charges connected to Minnesota church protest — Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon, 59, was arrested on charges related to a Minnesota church protest. Lemon, who was terminated by CNN in 2023 following allegations of problematic behavior toward female colleagues and controversial on-air remarks, has since worked as an independent journalist on YouTube. The arrest marks a significant development in his career trajectory following his departure from mainstream media.
• Federal agents arrest journalist Georgia Fort for covering ICE protest at Minnesota church — Georgia Fort, an independent Minnesota journalist, was arrested at her home on January 30 after covering a January 18 protest at St. Paul's Cities church, where a pastor reportedly works for ICE. Fort was charged alongside Don Lemon under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) and conspiracy statutes—charges experts call unprecedented against journalists. The DOJ pursued the case aggressively after a federal judge and appeals court initially refused to charge the journalists; a grand jury eventually secured an indictment. Fort livestreamed her arrest and has since been unable to cover related stories due to legal and safety concerns.
• Federal agents conduct search of Fort's home and question her children — When federal agents arrested Georgia Fort at her home on January 30, approximately two dozen agents remained outside for hours after her arrest. As Fort's family attempted to leave, agents stopped them in the driveway and questioned her children about whether they possessed her laptop or cellphone. Fort's daughters, aged 17, 8, and 7, were terrified by the encounter. The youngest daughter now discusses ICE daily; the oldest has experienced nightmares. Fort stated agents could have waited until children left for school and questioned why so many agents were needed to arrest a journalist.
• Journalist Don Lemon arrested by Trump administration after covering anti-ICE protest — Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested on January 30, 2026, by federal agents at a Los Angeles hotel while covering the Grammy Awards. The Trump administration obtained a federal grand jury indictment against Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort, and others on charges of conspiracy and interfering with worshippers' constitutional rights during an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church on January 18. A federal magistrate judge had previously refused to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon. On February 8, Lemon spoke publicly about the arrest, characterizing it as an attack on press freedom and warning that democracy becomes "hollow" when the First Amendment is threatened.
• Federal agents arrested journalist Georgia Fort and two protest participants — Federal agents arrested independent journalist Georgia Fort of Minnesota, along with two protest participants, Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the January 18 church protest in St. Paul. All four people arrested in the past 24 hours are Black.
• Don Lemon arrested on federal civil rights charges — Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities and charged with federal civil rights crimes in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church service earlier in January. The Department of Homeland Security stated Lemon was charged with conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshipers. His attorney Abbe Lowell stated Lemon's "constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done" and characterized the arrest as "an unprecedented attack on the first amendment." Career DOJ prosecutors in Minnesota and Louisiana refused to be involved in charging Lemon and other journalists who covered the Minneapolis church protests, believing the evidence does not support the charges.

Supporting reports

• ICE deployment and enforcement operations in Minneapolis schools and neighborhoods — The Trump administration deployed approximately 3,000 federal ICE agents across the Minneapolis region, conducting arrests at school bus stops, commutes, grocery stores, and churches. Multiple students were detained, including preschooler Liam Ramos. ICE agents used chemical irritants outside a high school during dismissal, leading schools to cancel classes and shift to hybrid remote/in-person learning. The operations have caused widespread trauma among students, with documented panic attacks, sleep disturbances, and behavioral changes, while teachers report being forced to teach safety protocols instead of standard curriculum.
• ICE detention of preschooler Liam Ramos — ICE agents detained preschooler Liam Ramos and his father when they returned home from school, then transported them to a detention center in Texas. Ramos was one of four students detained in the school district in recent weeks. A photograph of him in his winter hat during detention became a symbol of the operation's indiscriminate nature.

Supporting reports

• ICE use of chemical irritants at Minneapolis high school — ICE agents deployed chemical irritants outside a Minneapolis high school during student dismissal time and detained a staff member. The school district immediately cancelled classes in response and subsequently reopened with a virtual learning option for students too fearful to attend in person.
• Minnesota educators voice concerns over ICE raids' impact on schools — School superintendents, teachers, and parents spoke at the Minnesota state capitol on Tuesday, expressing concerns that ICE raids have fundamentally altered school environments and made students, teachers, and parents less safe. An elementary teacher reported unprecedented absenteeism since the COVID-19 pandemic, with students afraid to attend school. The Columbia Heights school board chair noted that families remain displaced and called for community support to bring children home and restore community wholeness.

Supporting reports

• Fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis — Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. According to witness accounts, Pretti was shot after rushing to protect a woman who was being pepper-sprayed by Border Patrol agents. Video evidence shows a federal officer retrieving Pretti's firearm while another officer drew his weapon before the fatal shooting occurred.
• Federal agents shoot and kill Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operation — Federal immigration agents under the Trump administration shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, in Minneapolis on January 24 during an enforcement operation. The killing was the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis within weeks and intensified public anger over the administration's immigration enforcement tactics and the use of lethal force.
• Federal agents shoot and kill VA nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials shot and killed Alex Pretti, a VA nurse, in Minneapolis. Trump administration officials, including Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, subsequently labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist." VA Secretary Collins blamed the death on state and local officials' "refusal to cooperate with the federal government." The killing followed another shooting of a U.S. citizen, Renee Nicole Good, by an ICE official in Minneapolis earlier that month.
• Border Patrol agents fatally shoot ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — Border Patrol agents fired at least 10 shots at 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on January 24, killing him. Pretti had been recording the agents with his phone after they pepper-sprayed and tackled him to the ground. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller falsely labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist" and claimed he was holding a gun and attempting to assassinate law enforcement. A Trump-appointed federal judge issued a late-night order directing the administration not to destroy or alter evidence in the case.
• Federal agents killed Alex Pretti, 37-year-old ICU nurse, during immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA, on a Minneapolis street during an immigration enforcement operation. Video evidence from ABC News shows Pretti recording federal agents with his phone before being pepper-sprayed, pushed into the street, and shot approximately 10 times in under five seconds. A doctor's affidavit cited by ABC describes multiple gunshot wounds including at least three in Pretti's back. An officer was heard saying "I got the gun" after the shooting. The incident occurred the morning after Minnesota's Friday economic blackout protest. Pretti's family disputes official accounts, describing them as "sickening lies."
• Federal agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti in Minneapolis — Federal agents, identified as ICE/Border Patrol officers, tackled, pepper-sprayed, and shot Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital, on a Minneapolis street. Video evidence shows Pretti holding a phone, not a gun, and attempting to help another person who had been pushed down by agents. After agents removed a gun from Pretti's waistband, they shot him multiple times, killing him. Federal agents then blocked state investigators, including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, from accessing the scene despite a search warrant.
• Fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse by federal ICE agents during immigration operation — Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse and U.S. citizen, was killed by federal agents on Saturday, January 25, 2026, while apparently filming an immigration enforcement operation. Videos verified by The Guardian contradict portions of the Department of Homeland Security's account of the incident. This marks the third shooting involving federal agents in January 2026 and prompted state and city lawyers to urge the court to halt Operation Metro Surge before additional deaths occur.
• Federal agent fatally shoots civilian Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — A 37-year-old nurse, Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by a federal Customs and Border Protection agent during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Democratic lawmakers, including Ilhan Omar, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris, condemned the shooting as an execution and called for accountability. Republicans, led by President Trump and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller, blamed Democratic officials for creating a lawless environment that prevented local police cooperation with federal agents.
• Federal agents fatally shoot 37-year-old US citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen and Virginia nurse, at approximately 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2026, in the Eat Street area of Minneapolis. The killing occurred in front of witnesses who videotaped the incident. It is the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis in less than three weeks, following the January 7 death of Renee Good. Federal agents subsequently deployed chemical irritants to disperse crowds and made arrests at the scene. Governor Tim Walz stated the killing contradicted calls for peace.
• Federal agents fatally shoot 37-year-old US citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement operation — Federal law enforcement officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, a Minneapolis nurse and US citizen with no criminal record and a valid firearm permit, during a protest against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. Video evidence shows Pretti holding a phone and attempting to shield a woman being pepper-sprayed; federal officials falsely claimed he was armed with a 9mm handgun and posed a threat to officers. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino contradicted video evidence in their public statements. A Minnesota judge ordered preservation of evidence after state officials alleged DHS was blocking local investigation access.
• Federal agents fatally shoot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis; nationwide protests erupt — Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old registered nurse and US citizen employed at Minneapolis VA Health Care System, was shot dead by federal agents during an encounter in Minneapolis. Video evidence shows Pretti being wrestled to the ground and sprayed with chemical agents before being shot multiple times. The DHS and Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti "approached" officers with a 9mm handgun, contradicting available video footage. Large protests spread across US cities including Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Providence, Los Angeles, and Washington DC on the following day, with demonstrators calling for ICE abolishment and justice.
• Federal agents kill Minneapolis VA nurse Alex Pretti during ICE enforcement action — Alex Pretti, 37, a registered nurse at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, was shot and killed by federal agents on Saturday during an immigration enforcement operation. Video evidence shows Pretti holding a phone, with an empty raised hand, appearing to defend a legal observer being pushed down by officers. Multiple agents surrounded him on the ground before firing multiple shots at close range. His family disputes the administration's account that he threatened officers with a gun. Police confirmed his only prior law enforcement contact was for traffic tickets and that he was a lawful gun owner.
• Federal agents shoot and kill Alex Pretti, a nurse, during ICE enforcement operation in Minneapolis — Alex Pretti, a healthcare worker, was fatally shot by federal agents during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis on or around January 25, 2026. The shooting occurred amid weeks of intensified federal immigration enforcement in the area. Following the killing, federal agents deployed teargas and projectiles against demonstrators and bystanders who gathered at the scene, injuring multiple people including children and community members seeking to help the injured.
• Federal immigration agents fatally shoot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — On January 25, 2026, federal immigration officers shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during an enforcement operation. Video evidence shows agents removed Pretti's legally carried handgun before shooting him. The incident sparked immediate calls for investigation from former presidents Obama and Clinton, Democratic lawmakers, and Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. A federal judge issued an order blocking destruction of evidence. The Trump administration disputed the narrative, with officials claiming Pretti interfered with a lawful arrest, while video evidence contradicted claims he brandished a weapon.
• ICE agents shoot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis; White House falsely brands him "domestic terrorist" — Federal border patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse, in Minneapolis on January 25, 2026. White House officials immediately claimed Pretti was a "would-be assassin" and "domestic terrorist" brandishing a gun. Multiple witness videos emerged showing Pretti held only a phone when agents pushed him to the ground, and that his gun was removed seconds before he was shot in the back while restrained. Facing public and bipartisan backlash, Trump distanced himself from the narrative and shuffled immigration leadership.
• Federal agents shot and killed VA nurse Alex Pretti during immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis — Federal Border Patrol and ICE agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a nurse without a criminal record, during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 25, 2026. Multiple videos contradicted official DHS claims that Pretti intended to conduct a "massacre" or cause "maximum damage." Internal DHS sources told Fox reporter Bill Melugin that the shooting was likely a "bad shoot" involving an accidental discharge after agents heard "gun," and that DHS messaging about the incident was catastrophic for morale and credibility. The incident triggered congressional scrutiny, a government funding crisis, and a political backlash against the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign.
• Federal agents killed Alex Pretti, an ICE nurse, during Minneapolis street encounter — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, an ICE nurse at Minneapolis VA, on a Minneapolis street during a period of civil unrest. Video evidence shows Pretti standing with phone raised, recording, when officers pepper-sprayed and pulled him into the street. A doctor's affidavit describes at least three gunshot wounds in his back, with multiple shots fired in under five seconds. His family disputes the official account. The incident occurred one day after a statewide economic blackout and clergy-led protest involving an estimated 50,000 people.
• Border Patrol shoots and kills Alex Pretti, ICU nurse, during Minnesota immigration enforcement operation — US Border Patrol officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota on January 25, 2026. Video evidence showed Pretti was unarmed at the moment of the shooting, contradicting federal claims that he posed a direct threat. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino claimed Pretti had threatened a "massacre" before being disarmed, but state investigators were blocked from the scene. The incident sparked public outcry and calls for investigation into federal enforcement tactics.
• Federal agents shoot and kill Alex Pretti during Minneapolis protest — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, a registered nurse at Minneapolis VA Health Care System, during a protest in south Minneapolis on Saturday. Video evidence shows Pretti being tackled by multiple agents after appearing to defend a shoved observer; an agent sprayed him with chemical agent before officers fired multiple shots at close range. DHS characterized the shooting as "defensive" and described protesters as "rioters." Pretti had no prior law enforcement contact except traffic tickets and was a lawful gun permit holder.
• Federal agents killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, in Minneapolis — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a VA hospital ICU nurse, in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. Pretti had stopped his car to observe agents chasing a family on foot, shouted, and blew a whistle. About a week prior, five agents had tackled him, breaking a rib, after he intervened in a similar incident. The killing triggered widespread public outcry and shifted the political calculus around federal funding bills in Congress.
• Federal agents killed VA ICE nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — Federal immigration enforcement agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a VA hospital ICE nurse, in Minneapolis on January 25, 2026. Pretti was carrying a legally permitted firearm while participating in community-led first-responder activities. Administration officials, including Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino and FBI director Kash Patel, claimed the killing was justified and that Pretti posed a threat. However, the Minnesota Department of Corrections launched a website to counter DHS claims, stating that Bovino had misrepresented the target of the operation and that the individual identified had no significant criminal history in Minnesota.
• Minneapolis Police Chief criticized federal enforcement operations — Federal agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis while he was directing traffic and attempting to assist another individual. Video evidence shows agents using pepper spray on Pretti before tackling him to the ground and shooting him multiple times. Following the incident, federal agents blocked state investigators from accessing the scene, prompting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to file a lawsuit for a temporary restraining order to prevent the destruction of evidence. A judge granted the order, barring the alteration or destruction of evidence related to the shooting.
• Minnesota National Guard distributed supplies to anti-ICE protesters — Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told CBS's Face the Nation that the city had experienced three federal shootings in less than three weeks, contrasting this with the Minneapolis Police Department's recovery of 900 guns and arrest of hundreds of violent offenders in the previous year without shooting anyone. O'Hara stated that the federal operations are unsustainable and are straining the city's police department, which has only 600 officers.
• Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, in Minneapolis during an immigration enforcement operation. — The Minnesota National Guard, wearing neon vests to distinguish themselves from federal agents, distributed doughnuts, coffee, and hot chocolate to anti-ICE protesters, signaling their alignment with community opposition to federal immigration enforcement operations.
• ICE and Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — On January 25, 2026, Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital in Minneapolis. Video evidence shows Pretti was filming police with his phone when agents initiated contact. He was not holding or brandishing his firearm; agents disarmed him while he was on the ground. After disarmament, agents fired 10 shots total—4 initially (3 to the back) and 6 additional shots while Pretti lay motionless. Pretti was a U.S. citizen born in Illinois with no criminal record, a valid concealed carry permit, and had participated in protests against ICE operations. A nearby physician found agents counting bullet wounds rather than performing CPR. The incident occurred during a broader ICE surge in Minneapolis that has generated widespread controversy and calls for investigation.
• Federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, during ICE Minneapolis operation — Federal ICE and Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse, in Minneapolis over the weekend. Initial regime narratives claimed Pretti was a domestic terrorist who approached agents with a firearm and reacted violently. Video evidence contradicted this account, showing Pretti was legally carrying a permitted firearm, not brandishing it, and was attempting to render aid to a woman pepper-sprayed by federal agents. After agents removed his gun and beat him, he was shot at point-blank range with at least 10 shots while helpless on the ground.
• ICE agent fatally shoots Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — On Saturday morning in Minneapolis, federal ICE officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, during a large-scale immigration enforcement crackdown. Video evidence showed Pretti was holding a phone, not a weapon, while attempting to assist another person who had been pepper-sprayed. Officers pushed him to the ground, beat him, and shot him multiple times at close range. Pretti was licensed to carry a firearm but there is no indication he was holding or threatening officers with one. The incident represents one of several violent and fatal incidents during the ICE Minneapolis operation.
• DHS report on Alex Pretti shooting released; two CBP agents discharged firearms — On January 26, 2026, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was killed by federal officers during the "Operation Metro Surge" enforcement action in Minneapolis. The shooting prompted a response from major Minnesota corporations, who released a joint letter on January 25 calling for "deescalation" but offering no specific policy demands or explicit condemnation of the killings.
• Federal immigration agents fatally shoot Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti during enforcement operation — The Department of Homeland Security released an initial investigation report to Congress indicating that two Customs and Border Protection officers discharged their firearms at Alex Pretti during a fatal shooting in Minneapolis on January 27. The report states that during an attempted custody operation, Pretti resisted and a struggle ensued, after which a border patrol agent and a CBP officer each fired their service weapons. The report confirms video evidence of Pretti assisting a woman confronted by agents and notes that a firearm was recovered from Pretti's possession.
• ICE agents attack US citizen Maria during immigration enforcement operation in Salem, Oregon — On an unspecified date in January 2026, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at Minneapolis VA Medical Center, during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Pretti was filming the agents when he was tackled, disarmed, and fatally shot. Trump administration officials falsely claimed Pretti "brandished" a gun and labeled him a "would-be assassin," but bystander video evidence shows Pretti holding only a phone and having been disarmed before shots were fired. The shooting represents the second fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis that month.
• — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents pulled a US citizen named Maria from her vehicle in Salem, Oregon, after boxing in her car and smashing the window. Agents threw her to the ground and left her without medical care until discovering her US passport. Maria, a homecare worker and SEIU Local 503 member, sustained a concussion and bruised ribs. The incident prompted unions to raise nearly $20,000 for her support and sparked broader labor movement response to ICE enforcement surge.

Supporting reports

• Federal immigration agents detain two-year-old girl and father in Minneapolis, defy judicial release order — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained a two-year-old girl and her father in Minneapolis on January 22 after stopping them near their home. A federal judge issued orders around 8:10pm prohibiting transfer outside Minnesota and mandating immediate release of the child into attorney custody. Despite the orders, federal officials placed both on a flight to Texas around 8:30pm. The child was later returned to her mother in Minnesota; the father remains detained. The father has a pending asylum application and no final removal order.
• ICE arrests asylum seeker and two-year-old daughter without warrant; defies court order by flying them to Texas — ICE agents arrested Elvis Joel TE and his two-year-old daughter without a warrant on January 22, 2026, in Minneapolis as they returned home from a store. Agents broke the car window while the child was inside and refused to allow the father to hand his daughter to her mother. Within hours, Judge Menendez issued an order prohibiting removal from Minnesota. Despite this order, ICE placed both on a flight to Texas approximately 20 minutes later. The daughter was returned to Minnesota the next day and released to her mother, but the father remained detained.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains 17-year-old Columbia Heights student without parental presence — On Tuesday, ICE agents detained a 17-year-old Columbia Heights student by removing him from his car with "armed and masked agents" present, without parents being notified or present. This was the second minor detained by ICE in the school district within the same day, part of an escalating enforcement surge in the region.
• ICE detains five-year-old Liam Ramos in Minnesota driveway — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father in their driveway in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, on Tuesday, then transported both to a detention center in Texas. School superintendent Zena Stenvik reported that an ICE agent used the child as "bait" by directing him to knock on his front door to determine if others were home. The family had an active asylum case and entered legally at a port of entry. This was one of four detentions of minors in the school district within two weeks.
• ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Ramos with father in Minnesota raid — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father on Tuesday as they arrived home from school in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. According to school officials, an ICE agent used the child to knock on the family's front door before detaining both. The family had an active asylum case, entered legally at an official port of entry, and followed proper procedures. ICE transported them to Texas, with the boy suspected to be at the Dilley family detention facility. The Homeland Security Department defended the operation, but school superintendent Zena Stenvik disputed the agency's account of events.

Supporting reports

• ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father Adrian Conejo Arias in Minnesota — Federal ICE agents detained five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrian Conejo Arias on January 20 in Minnesota as they arrived home from preschool. The child was wearing a Spider-Man backpack and blue bunny hat. They were transferred to the South Texas family residential center in Dilley, Texas. School officials and the family's attorney disputed DHS claims, stating the father and son had an active asylum case, entered legally at a port of entry, and faced no deportation order. A federal judge temporarily blocked their deportation on Monday.
• ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and surge in family detention operations — ICE detained five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in Minneapolis on January 20, 2026, after his father fled during an arrest attempt. The detention exemplifies a Trump administration policy shift toward aggressive family detention: ICE booked approximately 3,800 minors into family detention from January to October 2025, including children as young as one or two years old. More than 2,600 were apprehended by ICE officers inside the country rather than at the border. Families with pending asylum claims and work authorizations are being detained despite legal protections under the 1997 Flores Settlement. Children are held in inadequate conditions without proper medical care or dignity.
• ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Ramos and father in Minneapolis — ICE agents detained five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias on their driveway in Columbia Heights, Minnesota on January 20, 2026, then transported the child to a detention center in Texas without notifying the mother for over 24 hours. The family had an active asylum case and no deportation order. A fundraiser created to cover legal costs for their release raised over $110,000. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the father "abandoned" the child, but the family's attorney stated they did not enter illegally and are not criminals.
• ICE detention of five-year-old Liam Ramos in Columbia Heights, Minnesota — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained five-year-old Liam Ramos outside his home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota on January 20, 2026. School officials and the child's family lawyer assert ICE used the child as bait to apprehend his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, an asylum seeker from Ecuador who entered legally at an official crossing. The Department of Homeland Security disputed this characterization, stating the child was held for protective purposes. Liam and his father were transported to a detention center in San Antonio.
• ICE killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis — In January 2026, during a major ICE operation in Minneapolis, ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good, a mother and poet. Federal officials claimed self-defense and labeled Good a domestic terrorist, while the mayor described the action as reckless and unnecessary. Hundreds marched in protest.
• ICE detained five-year-old preschooler using him as bait — ICE agents detained a five-year-old preschooler in Minnesota after using him as bait to get someone in his house to open the door. The child and his father were transferred from Minnesota to detention in Texas. The family had an active asylum case and no deportation order, meaning they were in the United States legally. The incident was reported by Reg Chapman of CBS News in Minnesota.
• ICE agents used five-year-old child as bait to abduct father outside preschool — ICE agents used a five-year-old child as bait to abduct his father outside a preschool, an act caught on video. The child and his father were then taken into detention and transported out of state. The incident exemplifies enforcement tactics that prioritize apprehension over constitutional protections and family integrity.
• Trump administration officials defend detention and use of five-year-old migrant child as bait — Trump administration border leadership defended the detention of five-year-old Liam Cornejo Ramos, who was separated from his family and used as bait to lure out his father before both were sent to detention in El Paso, Texas. Officials claimed the child was "doing great" and in the "least restrictive setting," while admitting they could not confirm whether the father had committed any crime. An official blamed the father for "abandoning" his son.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents shoot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in north Minneapolis — On Wednesday night, ICE agents shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in north Minneapolis. The shooting drew residents out to document and protest the incident. During the unrest, ICE agents deployed teargas and flash-bangs around a vehicle carrying a family of six children, including a six-month-old infant, who were attempting to leave the area.

Supporting reports

• ICE agents use chemical irritants outside Roosevelt High School and detain staff member — Federal ICE agents came to Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, used chemical irritants outside the campus, and detained a staff member. In response, all Minneapolis public schools closed for two days. This week, parents are being offered a choice between in-person or online instruction.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration officials cast doubt on flu vaccine effectiveness amid record illness rates — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, publicly questioned the necessity and effectiveness of flu vaccines despite record-breaking illness rates, hospitalizations, and deaths. The administration changed flu vaccine recommendations for children to "shared clinical decision-making" in early January, and the CDC halted its "Wild to Mild" vaccination campaign. Kennedy claimed no scientific evidence supports flu vaccine effectiveness in children, contradicting CDC studies. Vaccination rates have fallen to 42.5% in children and 43.5% in adults.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains 17-year-old high school girl and mother in apartment — On January 14, ICE agents forced their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old high school girl and her mother. The superintendent reported the agents "pushed their way into" the residence, indicating a warrantless or forcible entry into a private home.
• ICE detention of 17-year-old student and mother in Minneapolis — ICE agents entered an apartment and detained a 17-year-old female student and her mother on January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. The agents were described as "armed and masked." This detention was part of a broader pattern of ICE enforcement actions targeting minors and families in the Columbia Heights and Minneapolis area.

Supporting reports

• ICE arrest near school campus during student arrival — On January 14, ICE agents arrested a father and his two children two blocks from a post-secondary special education campus just as students were arriving by bus. Bystanders and legal observers used whistles and car horns to alert the neighborhood, creating distress for autistic students sensitive to loud noises.

Supporting reports

• Minneapolis public schools shift to remote learning amid enforcement tensions — Minneapolis public schools announced they would offer remote learning for the next month in response to concerns that children or their parents might feel unsafe venturing out while tensions remained high following the Renee Good shooting and subsequent federal enforcement operations. Many schools had already closed the previous week after the shooting and the upheaval that followed.

Supporting reports

• Minnesota Attorney General sues Trump administration over ICE surge and excessive force — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against the federal government on Monday alleging that the Department of Homeland Security's deployment of thousands of ICE agents violates the Administrative Procedures Act through excessive and lethal force, warrantless arrests, racist targeting, and surveillance of courts, churches, and schools. The lawsuit follows the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent, which sparked nationwide protests.
• Minnesota Attorney General files federal lawsuit to halt ICE operation in Minneapolis — Minnesota's attorney general filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop an ICE operation that fanned out across the Minneapolis area, initially directed at the Somali community. The lawsuit was filed following the fatal shooting of US citizen Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during the operation. The legal action represents state-level challenge to federal immigration enforcement activities.
• Minnesota Attorney General files lawsuit against Trump administration over DHS enforcement actions — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced he is filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the Department of Homeland Security's use of excessive and lethal force, warrantless arrests, and targeting of courts, churches, and schools violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Ellison called for courts to end the surge of DHS agents in Minnesota.
• Minnesota attorney general sues Trump administration over ICE surge and use of force — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security on January 13, 2026, alleging excessive and lethal force, warrantless arrests, and targeting of courts, churches, and schools. The suit follows an ICE agent's fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good. Ellison seeks a temporary restraining order and an end to the deployment of thousands of DHS agents in Minnesota, characterizing the surge as unconstitutional and harmful to public safety and civil liberties.
• Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul file lawsuit challenging DHS immigration enforcement surge as constitutional violation — Minnesota's attorney general, Minneapolis's mayor, and St. Paul officials filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the Trump administration's massive immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities. The suit alleges that the Department of Homeland Security is violating First Amendment and other constitutional protections by targeting a progressive, Democratic-leaning state that welcomes immigrants. The lawsuit characterizes the operation as a "federal invasion." The city of Chicago and Illinois separately filed a similar suit over the DHS's "organized bombardment."
• Illinois sued Department of Homeland Security for unlawful ICE and CBP tactics — The state of Illinois filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security alleging unlawful and dangerous tactics used by Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during "Operation Midway Blitz." Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul documented that agents acted as occupiers rather than law enforcement officers, randomly and violently questioning residents, brutally detaining citizens and non-citizens without warrants or probable cause, and using tear gas and chemical weapons against bystanders, injuring dozens including children, elderly persons, and local police officers. Governor J.B. Pritzker stated the actions undermined constitutional rights and threatened public safety.
• Minnesota and Minneapolis and St. Paul sued Trump administration over ICE operations — Minnesota, Minneapolis, and St. Paul filed lawsuits against the Trump administration challenging federal immigration enforcement operations that began on January 6. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison characterized the operation as "a federal invasion" and documented that poorly trained, aggressive, and armed federal agents conducted widespread unlawful conduct including terrorizing residents. The lawsuit challenged the legality and constitutionality of the enforcement tactics.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration cuts all federal funding to Minnesota USDA programs — Trump's USDA cut off all federal funding to Minnesota, following earlier efforts to cut childcare funding to multiple blue states before a federal judge blocked that action. The funding cut is described as a deliberate act of economic punishment targeting a state that did not vote for Trump.

Supporting reports

• Elon Musk publicly minimized Grok's generation of child sexualized imagery — On January 2, 3, and 31 December 2025, Elon Musk posted publicly to X, making light of Grok's ability to generate sexualized images. On January 2, he reposted an AI image of a toaster in a bikini captioned "Grok can put a bikini on everything." On January 3, he replied to a meme about Grok sexualizing people with celebratory emojis. On December 31, he asked Grok to generate an image of himself in a bikini. On January 9, after international outcry, Musk posted that he was "not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok," implying that non-nude sexualized imagery of children was less serious.

Supporting reports

• Minneapolis Public Schools announces school closures and virtual learning option — Following ICE agents' entry onto Roosevelt High School grounds on 7 January 2026, Minneapolis Public Schools announced the cancellation of school for two days and offered students the option to attend classes virtually through mid-February. The decision was made in response to the fear and anxiety created by ICE enforcement operations in the community.
• ICE agents enter Minneapolis high school grounds during enforcement surge — On 7 January 2026, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis while conducting enforcement operations in the city. Agents used chemical irritants outside the school and detained a staff member. The school locked its doors to protect students and staff inside. Minneapolis Public Schools subsequently cancelled school for two days and offered virtual learning through mid-February. The incident occurred on the same day an ICE agent shot Renee Good.

Supporting reports

• ICE detains 10-year-old Minnesota girl and mother for one month in Texas facility — Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano, a fourth-grader from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and her mother were arrested by federal agents on January 6, 2026, and detained at the Dilley family detention center in Texas for approximately one month. The family, originally from Ecuador with an active asylum case, was released on February 4 after a federal judge issued an order blocking their removal. The detention occurred amid the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement in the region, which has resulted in the detention of hundreds of children at the facility, including a measles outbreak.
• ICE detains 10-year-old student and mother in school-related arrest — On January 6, ICE agents detained a 10-year-old fourth-grade student and her mother. The child was taken while traveling to elementary school with her mother. The child called her father during the arrest, and by the end of that school day, both mother and daughter were in a detention center in Texas.
• ICE detention of 10-year-old girl in Minneapolis — ICE agents detained a 10-year-old girl and her mother on January 6, 2026, as the child was being taken to elementary school in the Minneapolis area. This was one of four child detentions reported by Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent Zena Stenvik within a three-week period, indicating a pattern of ICE enforcement actions targeting minors and families in the region.

Supporting reports

• Border Patrol agents shoot two people outside Portland medical facility; ICE arrests seven-year-old and parents seeking emergency care — In January 2026, border patrol agents shot two people outside a medical facility in Portland, Oregon. Subsequently, ICE agents arrested a seven-year-old child and her parents as they sought emergency medical care at the facility. Federal agents also deployed tear gas against thousands of people at a daytime march, including many children.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration froze $10 billion in federal childcare and family assistance funds — In January 2026, the Trump administration froze over $10 billion in federal funds for California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, affecting three programs: the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Social Service Block Grant (SSBG). The freeze was justified by unsubstantiated fraud allegations against Somali childcare providers, based on a December 2025 viral social media video that local reporters and state investigators subsequently debunked. The states sued to block the freeze, and a federal judge granted a court order stopping it on January 9, 2026. The administration later withdrew the freeze after being ordered to produce unredacted emails.

Supporting reports

• Immigration detention of Joel separates family with infant child during holiday season — Joel, a Honduran immigrant living in San Francisco with his partner Roxana and their 10-month-old daughter Briana, was detained by federal immigration agents in June 2025 outside their apartment. He remains in a Texas detention center six months later, communicating with his family only through nightly video calls. Roxana suspects the detention relates to a prior DUI arrest. The family cannot afford legal representation and expects deportation. Roxana, her children, and her sister now pool earnings from housecleaning to pay rent while organizing with community groups for immigrant protections.

Supporting reports

• Regulators in Australia, France, Indonesia, and Malaysia opened investigations into X and Grok — Following the discovery that Grok generated nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children, regulators in multiple countries initiated formal investigations. The European Commission ordered X to preserve all documents related to Grok through the end of 2025. Indonesia and Malaysia blocked user access to Grok entirely. The Indonesian Communication and Digital Affairs Minister stated: "The government sees nonconsensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity and the safety of citizens in the digital space." The Internet Watch Foundation, a British organization, identified criminal child sexual abuse material featuring children aged 11–13 on the dark web.

Supporting reports

• xAI's Grok generated nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children on X — xAI's Grok chatbot, integrated into X, generated approximately 6,700 sexually suggestive or nudifying images per hour beginning in late December 2025. The tool created nonconsensual sexualized images of real women and children, including cases where users submitted photos of minors as young as 14. Reuters identified multiple instances of child sexualization; the Internet Watch Foundation found criminal child sexual abuse material (CSAM) featuring children aged 11–13 on the dark web. Regulators in Australia, France, Indonesia, and Malaysia opened investigations or blocked access. Musk publicly minimized the issue, and xAI implemented limited restrictions (geoblocking in some jurisdictions, limiting free-user access) that researchers found ineffective within hours.

Supporting reports

• Congressional Budget Office analysis shows tax cuts favor wealthy while cutting nutrition assistance — The Congressional Budget Office analyzed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and found that resources were reduced for lowest-income households while delivering substantial tax benefits to highest earners, including approximately one trillion dollars in tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent over the coming decade. The largest cuts to nutrition assistance in the program's history were enacted to fund this tax largesse.