1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

On January 24, 2026, federal Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and lawful concealed carry permit holder, in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security claimed Pretti approached officers with a gun and violently resisted, intending to "massacre law enforcement." However, verified video evidence contradicts this account, showing Pretti intervening as an agent shoved another person, followed by agents spraying chemicals in his face and wrestling him to the ground before firing shots. This is the second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers in Minnesota this month, following the January 7 killing of Renee Good. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara confirmed Pretti's only law enforcement interactions were traffic tickets. Governor Tim Walz noted the irony that Republicans have long defended concealed carry rights, yet the Trump administration labeled this lawful gun owner a "domestic terrorist" through White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. The federal government cannot be trusted to investigate its own agents. Minnesota's justice system must lead this investigation to ensure accountability and transparency. Governor Walz has demanded President Trump remove "thousands of violent, untrained officers" from Minnesota, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is seeking a federal restraining order to halt these operations. I urge you to take immediate action: demand an independent federal investigation into both shootings, support legislation requiring state-led investigations when federal agents kill civilians on state soil, and publicly call for the suspension of these militarized immigration operations until proper oversight mechanisms exist. Senator Amy Klobuchar has already called out the silence from Republican colleagues while thousands of citizens face harassment, children hide, schools close, and local police cannot perform their duties. These operations have created chaos requiring National Guard deployment. Minnesota residents deserve answers, accountability, and an end to tactics that have now killed two people in three weeks.