Biden denounces federal agents’ Minneapolis shootings of US citizens, urging transparent investigations and constitutional accountability

Former president issues condemnation after two fatal encounters involving immigration enforcement in Minneapolis

Former President Joe Biden on Tuesday, January 27, condemned what he described as “our own government targeting” U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, following two fatal encounters this month involving federal immigration enforcement. In a written statement, Biden said the events “betray our most basic values as Americans” and called for “full, fair and transparent” investigations into the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good.

Biden’s remarks came as Minneapolis and state leaders continue to face heightened federal activity tied to an immigration enforcement surge, alongside mounting legal and political scrutiny of tactics used during arrests and street encounters. Biden did not name President Donald Trump directly, but referred to “this administration” and argued that violence “has no place in the United States of America, especially when it’s our own government targeting American citizens.”

What is known about the two deaths

Alex Pretti, identified as a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was killed on Saturday, January 24, during an encounter with federal officers in Minneapolis. A federal notice to Congress stated that two officers fired their weapons during the incident—one from Border Patrol and one from Customs and Border Protection—after officers attempted to take Pretti into custody and a struggle followed. The notice said an agent repeatedly yelled that Pretti had a gun.

Renée Good was killed earlier in the month on January 7 in Minneapolis. Biden’s statement referenced her death as well, describing Good as having been shot as she drove away from a federal immigration agent. Both deaths have fueled protests and intensified public debate over the scope and conduct of immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota’s largest city.

Federal response and leadership changes

In the days following Pretti’s killing, the White House directed Tom Homan, described by the administration as the border czar, to take over the Minnesota immigration crackdown. President Trump said the shift was intended to “de-escalate” tensions. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey met with Homan on Tuesday and agreed to continue discussions.

Courts, oversight, and a widening set of disputes

Legal challenges related to the enforcement surge are moving through federal court. In separate proceedings tied to detention and removal actions, a federal judge in Texas issued an order temporarily blocking the removal or transfer of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian child and his father who were detained in Minnesota. In Minnesota, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz ordered ICE’s acting director to appear in court, citing concerns about compliance with court orders in immigration-related cases.

Also Tuesday, Ecuador’s foreign ministry lodged a protest after an incident in which ICE agents attempted to enter Ecuador’s consulate in Minneapolis without permission, raising diplomatic and legal questions under longstanding consular protections.

• Deaths at issue: Alex Pretti (Jan. 24) and Renée Good (Jan. 7), both U.S. citizens.
• Biden’s demand: “full, fair and transparent” investigations.
• Federal posture: leadership shift in Minnesota operations and ongoing court scrutiny.

“Violence and terror have no place in the United States of America, especially when it’s our own government targeting American citizens.”

The investigations and court proceedings are expected to shape both accountability for the deaths and the future contours of federal enforcement activity in Minneapolis.