Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations have intensified across the country, with an emphasis on mass arrests, family detention, and ending protections deemed too lenient for asylum seekers. So-called “sanctuary cities,” which have a policy of non-cooperation with federal immigration agencies regarding the immigration status of residents, such as Minneapolis, have become prime targets for federal agencies, which accuse local authorities of hindering deportations and protecting undocumented immigrants.
It was in this tense climate that three dramatic events occurred in Minneapolis within a few weeks: the killing of Renee Good, the arrest of Liam Conejo-Ramos, and the shooting of Alex Pretti. Each of these cases fueled public anger, and their sequence transformed a local issue into a national symbol of the violence of the U.S. immigration system.
Three cases that shook Minneapolis
On January 7, Renee Good was shot and killed in Minneapolis by a federal immigration agent identified as Jonathan Ross during an ICE enforcement operation. Good was in her vehicle on Portland Avenue when the agent fired three shots, hitting her in the forearm, chest, and head. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide from multiple gunshot wounds by a law-enforcement officer. Federal officials said the agent acted in self-defense, claiming Good’s vehicle posed a threat, but eyewitness video showed shots were fired as her car was turning away from the agent.
On January 21, five-year-old Liam Conejo-Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were detained by ICE outside their home in Minneapolis. Witnesses said Liam had just returned from kindergarten with his father when agents arrested him on the spot. School officials and community members reported that Liam was effectively used as “bait” during the operation, as agents kept him close to the father while executing the arrest. ICE stated that the father was the target of the operation and that the child was taken into custody only after his mother “abandoned” him. Both were transferred together to a federal family detention center in Dilley, Texas, where the child was placed in a family unit. The family’s attorneys said Adrian Conejo Arias had complied with his 2024 asylum application and had no criminal record, criticizing the operation for occurring in broad daylight without first ensuring the child’s safety.
Finally, on January 24, 2026, Alex Pretti, a 37‑year‑old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis during a federal enforcement operation. Multiple videos of the incident show agents wrestling Pretti to the ground; one agent then removed what appeared to be a firearm from his waistband before at least ten shots were fired in quick succession, striking and fatally wounding him. Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the agents fired in self‑defense after attempting to disarm him, claiming he approached with a handgun. Witnesses and the available video evidence show Pretti holding a phone and not brandishing a weapon before he was pushed and pepper‑sprayed by agents. Minneapolis police also confirmed he was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
From Minneapolis to the rest of the country, anger spreads
Starting on January 24, protests erupted and quickly spread nationwide. In Minneapolis, thousands of people blocked major roads and surrounded federal buildings, turning the city center into a permanent protest zone. School and professional strikes were organized, particularly in schools in the southern part of the city, to denounce the presence of ICE in residential neighborhoods and the impact of these operations on the daily lives of families. The streets became places of gathering, slogans, portraits of Liam, Renee, and Alex, but also debates on the legitimacy of the armed state in civilian spaces.
Similar gatherings are taking place in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington, where protesters are holding up the names of Liam, Renee, and Alex as symbols of a policy they consider deadly. In Los Angeles, marches are organized around detention centers and federal agency offices; in New York, marches converge on government buildings in downtown; in Chicago, groups of migrants and allies block bridges and intersections to demand that ICE leave Minnesota. The response of law enforcement is widely documented: the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and mass arrests, particularly during nighttime protests around federal buildings. These images are circulating widely on social media, amplifying outrage and reinforcing the sense that federal agents are using violent and extreme tactics, fueling fears that their presence is both aggressive and dangerous.
The Trump administration defends itself, local elected officials demand accountability
Faced with the scale of the crisis, Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Minneapolis. At a press conference, he defended the Trump administration’s immigration policy, stating that the operations target “criminals” and “dangerous undocumented immigrants.” However, he acknowledged that the arrest of five-year-old Liam has “shocked” public opinion, without announcing any suspension of ongoing operations or change in policy. This visit was perceived by some of the population as an attempt to politically legitimize ICE’s actions, while the Minneapolis City Council and several local elected officials continued to denounce the federal intrusion into their jurisdiction.
At the same time, several Democratic elected officials in Minnesota have called for independent investigations into the three cases and a moratorium on ICE operations in residential and school areas, arguing that the situation is now beyond local political control. They emphasized that the agency’s repeated presence in working-class neighborhoods undermines trust between the population and institutions, and transforms spaces that are supposed to be protected, such as schools, hospitals and homes, into theaters of police operations. Some mayors and city councilors went so far as to call for the suspension of cooperation between local services and ICE, heightening tensions between federal and local authorities.
The Liam-Renee-Alex case, symbol of an increasingly controversial radicalization of immigration policies
The Renee-Liam-Alex case has emerged as one of the most vivid symbols of the evolution of U.S. immigration policy under President Donald Trump. Under the administration’s direction, ICE intensified its activities, drawing on Executive Order 14159, signed on January 20, 2025. The order expanded the powers of expedited removal, restricted federal funding to jurisdictions deemed “sanctuary,” and imposed stricter penalties on individuals residing in the country without authorization. From the government’s perspective, these measures are intended to protect the American people by curbing irregular immigration and related criminal activity, while reaffirming federal authority over cities that refuse to cooperate with national enforcement agencies.
However, the strategy has sparked significant opposition. Human rights and legal advocacy groups have raised serious concerns, describing the measures as an unprecedented escalation. International organizations have criticized the use of mass detentions, often without adequate procedural safeguards, and rapid deportations that undermine protections normally afforded to asylum seekers and migrants. Human Rights Now has publicly condemned practices it considers inconsistent with international norms, citing the lack of effective avenues for appeal and arbitrary enforcement procedures.
This perceived radicalization has also intensified political debate across the United States. Several predominantly Democratic states, including Minnesota, as well as major cities, have filed lawsuits against the federal administration, arguing that ICE’s expanded operations violate constitutional rights and represent excessive federal intrusion.
Far from being confined to local events in Minneapolis, the Liam-Renee-Alex case reflects a broader national conflict over the balance between security, sovereignty, and respect for fundamental rights. The debate is shaping political and social discourse across the country as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
