ICE in Minnesota – Days 63-64: Gov't Lawyers Quit En Masse, Pretti Killing Ruled Homicide, Minneapolis Peace Prize Nominee

Minneapolis – On the heels of a supposed “drawdown” in federal immigration enforcement throughout the Twin Cities metro area, protesters are continuing to show up and confront the federal occupation of Minnesota.

Tactics have evolved, with communities setting up anti-ICE check points to hinder ICE movement and teachers and community members providing layers of safety for children in schools, a new target of ICE. Families and business owners are feeling the effects of the long-standing disruption the occupation has brought, and determined activists and organizers have persisted in their demands that ICE leave Minnesota.

Below are some of the happenings and updates in the federal occupation of the Minnesota from the past two days.

Tuesday, February 3: Day 64

Judge lifts order demanding preservation of evidence in Pretti killing – U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud lifted a restraining order he issued last month barring federal agencies from destroying evidence in the lethal shooting, MPR News reported. In his ruling, the judge said he didn’t think it was likely federal agencies would destroy or spoil evidence, and that if they did it wouldn’t constitute “irreparable harm” to the prosecution.

Alex Pretti’s death ruled homicide – The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office issued the results of its autopsy on the slain protester Monday, citing the cause of death as a homicide, Fox 9 reported. While homicide means a person was killed a the hands of another, it does not necessarily carry criminal penalties for the perpetrator.

More federal prosecutors leave Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s office – Another mass-resignation of federal prosecutors hit the office this week, as reported by the AP. Six prosecutors left last month over the Justice Department’s handling of the Nicole Good killing, and another eight are reported to have submitted their resignations this week, making an unprecedented 14 federal legal staff to quit so far this year. The New Republic reports that among those who quit were the civil division chief who handled wrongful detention petitions, a victim witness coordinator and an evidence technician. An attorney contracted to the DOJ, Julie Le, said the government is “overwhelmed” to Minnesota U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell on Tuesday. “I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I can get 24 hours of sleep… The system sucks, this job sucks, I am trying with every breath I have to get you what I need… We have no guidance or direction on what we need to do,” Le told Blackwell, per reporter Paul Blume (Fox9, 2/3, RacketMN 2/3). Le has apparently been assigned at least 88 cases in the court system (Bluesky, 2/3). Local law firms are directing more resources into habeas petitions (Bluesky, 2/3), figuratively “building a gundam” (a giant robot).

Minneapolis nominated for Nobel Peace Prize – The city and its residents were nominated by the news outlet The Nation. The award, typically given to individuals, has never been issued to a city as a whole, but in a statement sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, editors at the outlet made the case that the city’s residents have withstood significant hardship and prevailed despite the challenges, Newsweek reported.

Agents arrest observers at gunpoint, defying directive not to engage with protesters – Immigration agents in Minneapolis surrounded a car said to be following them, guns drawn and yelling commands, video shows and the AP reports. The agents, several with sidearms pointed at the people in the vehicle, arrested two people after removing them from a car. Last week, after Greg Bovino was replaced as head of operations overseeing “Operation Metro Surge,” a memo was circulated directing ICE officers not to engage with “agitators.”

Troops taken off pre-deployment notice – Active duty soldiers who had been told to prepare to deploy to the Twin Cities last month, after Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, were told to stand down over the weekend, ABC reported Tuesday. More than 1,500 troops stationed in Alaska and North Carolina were at the ready prior to Northern Command rescinding the directive.

Noem announces bodycams for DHS agents in Minneapolis – The Department of Homeland Security Secretary announced the measure, billed as a step toward transparency, on social media Tuesday. Body-worn cameras will be used by DHS agents nationwide, contingent on funding.

Demand for “domestic terrorist database” info – Citing recent statements by Tom Homan, including his claims that arrestees would be publicized, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) demanded information on what these supposed domestic terrorist databases are inside Homeland Security (Statement via Bluesky, 2/3). A new report listed 28 databases accessible via the DHS Intelligence Reporting System – Next Generation (IRS-NG) amid absurd claims about “the leader of Antifa in Portland” that was derived from “online platforms,” meaning right-wing social media hype posts (Ken Klippenstein, 2/2). This also seems to include motor vehicle/drivers license data. The January 2025 DHS “Privacy Impact Assessment” (pdf – dhs.gov) for IRS-NG has more technical information. More about Homan’s targeting messaging, and facial recognition, was in our last “ICE in Minnesota” bulletin.

These databases could be used to soup up terrorism enhancement charges known as “2339A” which have been turning up more in prosecutions with leftist political links in the last year or so (TPM, 2/3). [See UR’s Prairieland zine case report, 1/23, for a related case].

Forum hears cases of federal agent abuse – Democrats convened a forum after Republicans refused to participate regarding ICE and other federal agents (Bluesky Thread, 2/3). Renee Good’s brothers testified (LA Times, 2/3). Ali Rahman, a disabled man, described his terrifying ordeal at the Whipple Building (DRM News video, 2/3). U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) said communities had been “terrorized and traumatized” with hunting fraud as a thin excuse (Press release, 2/3). An attorney said the “hearing revealed deep cracks” in DOJ and ICE (Instagram, 2/3).

Judge reinstates Congressional visits to ICE facilities temporarily – DC U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb overturned the Trump Administration’s attempt to impose seven-day delays in congressional inspections to ICE detention and processing centers (El Pais, 2/3). It will be temporarily valid for 14 days. A January 10 attempted visit to the Whipple Building processing center was part of the case (El Pais, 2/2). The Whipple Building is a DHS-built “house of horrors” with mounting human rights abuses (RacketMN, 2/2). U.S. Rep Kelly Morrison (DFL-MN3) reported terrible conditions and lack of medical care after a visit last weekend (X video, 2/1).

Minnesota Republicans submit bill for cutting funding if state withholds voter data – Minnesota’s GOP members of Congress are pressing the state to unload its private voter data into the hands of the Department of Justice, per a new bill submitted (BringMeTheNews, 2/3). President Trump has been trying to “nationalize elections” by removing control from state governments, and Minnesota is clearly in the crosshairs of the matter (NY Times, 2/2). U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) released a statement making vague claims about “dark money” connected to China in Minnesota (Bsky, 2/3).

Six Columbia Heights children detained by ICE, some released. 23 parents taken – The Dilley family detention center in Texas is the site of a measles outbreak (Texas Tribune, 2/2) and has been holding multiple children from Columbia Heights (Sahan Journal, 2/3, MPR News 2/3). Western Texas U.S. District Judge Fred Biery has ordered that Columbia Heights fourth-grader Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano cannot be deported and she was released on Tuesday; the family has applied for a U visa. At least 23 parents from the same Colombia Heights school that Liam Conejo Ramos went to have been detained by ICE.

Graffiti on the wall of a Minneapolis Post Office and a stencil reading “A neighbor was taken here – Abolish ICE” that is seen around the metro marking where a person was taken by ICE.

Monday, February 2: Day 63

Drummers against ICE protest throughout downtown Minneapolis – Dozens of drummers set up drum sets on corners all around downtown Minneapolis to protest ICE (Fox 2/2).

Rally held outside Target HQ – Protesters and community leaders gathered to urge the retailer to condemn ICE activity and stop allowing the agency access to their property. Protesters called on the newly appointed CEO of the Minneapolis-based chain to take a firm stance and speak out against federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota (Minnesota Spokesman Recorder 2/3).

Public health crisis unfolding as patients, healthcare workers fear detention – Locals are avoiding visiting medical facilities and healthcare workers fear for their safety as ICE continues to occupy the Twin Cities, a new report from The Guardian says. “We’re seeing residents not wanting to leave their homes, not go to work, not go to their doctor appointments, not going to their regularly scheduled checkups, postponing surgeries, postponing care,” Angela Conley, Hennepin County Commissioner for District 4, told The Guardian.

Last person subpoenaed from the Jan. 18 church protest turns himself in in Philadelphia – Jerome Richardson, a college student in Philly turned himself into authorities today. Attorney General Pam Bondi immediately went to social media to brag about making “more arrests in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul.” She referred to “two more arrests,” pooling last Friday’s afternoon arrest of combat veteran Ian Austin, along with Richardson turning himself in. Austin was released Monday afternoon after a court hearing in the federal courthouse. During his arrest Austin, also a content creator, said he was targeted because he had “2.5 million streams yesterday.”

More: Independent Journalists Georgia Fort and Don Lemon Arrested by Feds Along With Three More Activists

More: White House Generates Racist AI Image After ‘Politically Motivated’ Arrest of Activists Over Church Protest

Minneapolis Police take down filter blockades after right-wing journalists embedded with ICE turned away, blockades put right back up – After multiple days of filter blockades in the southside, Minneapolis Police took down multiple blockades. Blockaders said the takedowns by local police occurred after an ICE vehicle that was “accompanied by multiple right wing journalists, attempted to pass through the community monitoring point, but were instead repelled by community members and denied access to the neighborhood.” At least one blockade was re-erected that same day.

NEWS FROM THE BARRICADES:

Today, hundreds of community members were able to safely pass through the filter blockade. When ICE Agents tried, they were repelled.

For a free Minneapolis, For one another. pic.twitter.com/Cswwl7QOKL
— Minneapolis Spring (@mpls_spring) February 3, 2026

Jingle dress dancers hold healing ceremonies at Good, Pretti killing sites – Hundreds attended the dances Sunday, organized by Indigenous women who say the practice is their duty in times of hurt and hardship, MPR News reported.

Previous ICE blog update: ICE in Minnesota – Days 57-62: Masses Protest ICE While Violence Continues and Feds Indict Journalists

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