Minneapolis: Ground zero of American hypocrisy
TEHRAN — Anger is surging across the United States — particularly in Minneapolis — after federal agents shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old American ICU nurse, during a chaotic immigration raid. His death has become a symbol of what critics describe as a violent and uncontrolled federal crackdown — one that is now claiming the lives of U.S. citizens.
The killing comes less than three weeks after an agent from ICE — the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency — fatally shot another American, Renee Good, in Minneapolis, deepening fears that the federal operation in Minnesota has spiraled far beyond its stated purpose.
Federal officials quickly claimed that Pretti approached agents with a gun and violently resisted arrest. But multiple bystander videos verified by Reuters contradict that account. The footage shows Pretti holding a mobile phone, not a weapon, as he tries to help two women who had just been shoved to the ground by federal agents. When he steps between the officers and the women, an agent pepper-sprays him. Several agents then swarm him, forcing him onto his hands and knees. As they pin him down, someone shouts a warning about a gun. Video appears to show an agent removing a firearm from Pretti — but witnesses insist he never brandished it. Moments later, an officer aims a handgun at Pretti’s back and fires four rapid shots. Another agent appears to fire additional rounds. A doctor who witnessed the shooting later stated under oath that Pretti was shot multiple times in the back.
Pretti’s family has rejected the government’s claims outright. His parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, described their son as a compassionate nurse who cared deeply for his community and for the veterans he treated at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. They said he was filming with one hand and shielding a woman with the other, not threatening anyone. They also said they have not received a single call from federal authorities about their son’s death. “The lies being told about our son are reprehensible,” they said. “Please tell the truth about Alex. He was a good man.”
VicePresident JD Vance defended ICE and federal agents, insisting that “this level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis” and blaming the violence on “farleft agitators working with local authorities.” His remarks reflect the administration’s broader effort to portray protesters as extremists while justifying the use of overwhelming federal force.
The killing has triggered a wave of condemnation from across the country. California Governor Gavin Newsom demanded the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the suspension of ICE’s federal funding, and the firing of Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, calling the raids “lawless” and warning that ICE is no longer targeting dangerous criminals but sweeping up entire communities. National Nurses United called Pretti’s killing “a heinous murder,” saying he died doing what nurses do best — protecting people around him. Even within the Republican Party, cracks have appeared. Senator Bill Cassidy described the shooting as “incredibly disturbing” and called for a full federal and state investigation.
Civil rights groups have also condemned the killing. The Minnesota chapter of CAIR said federal agencies cannot be trusted to investigate themselves and demanded a locally led, civilian-run inquiry. They accused ICE of carrying out a “deadly and disastrous siege of Minnesota,” noting that the raids have terrorized immigrant neighborhoods and destabilized daily life across the city.
Senator Chris Van Hollen issued one of the strongest statements yet, saying Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Noem, and White House official Stephen Miller have “blood on their hands.” Representative Ilhan Omar called Pretti’s death “murder” and demanded the impeachment of Kristi Noem. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said the videos of the killing were “sickening” and described ICE’s actions as a “campaign of organized brutality” against Minnesota residents.
Within hours of the shooting, protests erupted across Minneapolis. Thousands marched to federal buildings, chanting Pretti’s name and demanding the withdrawal of ICE from Minnesota. Community leaders say the raids have created a climate of fear: children avoiding school, families staying home from religious services, and immigrant-owned businesses closing their doors.
The events in Minneapolis now stand as the clearest measure of what Trump’s immigration crackdown has produced. A federal operation that began in November 2025, launched with sweeping fraud allegations and backed by the deployment of 3,000 federal agents, has resulted in a series of shootings, rising public fear, and a growing death toll — including the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both American citizens. At least five people were shot by federal agents in January, and six more have died in ICE detention since the start of 2026.
Iran unrest vs. U.S. crackdowns
The contrast with Washington’s foreignpolicy rhetoric is striking. In recent weeks, Trump and senior administration officials have sharply criticized Iran’s response to its own unrest, describing Iranian protesters as “freedom-seeking” and accusing Tehran of using excessive force. Iranian officials, however, say more than 3,000 people have been killed in the recent disturbances, attributing the deaths to “armed terrorists” who, according to the government, targeted civilians as well as security and police forces. On January 17, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, stated that “agents of the U.S. and the Zionist regime” murdered “a few thousand people” during the unrest. Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused Washington and Tel Aviv of fueling riots and backing armed groups.
For many observers, the contradiction is impossible to ignore: the United States condemns Iran for responding to violent unrest — which Iranian officials say included armed attacks on police and civilians — while federal agents in Minneapolis have killed unarmed American citizens and labeled local protesters as extremists. The contrast becomes sharper when Vance describes demonstrations in Minneapolis as the work of “far-left agitators,” even as U.S. officials denounce Iran for dealing with unrest. Critics argue that this dual narrative exposes a deeper inconsistency: Washington frames unrest abroad as a struggle for freedom while portraying domestic protests as a threat to be subdued.