On January 24, 2026, federal Border Patrol agents were involved in a deadly shooting in south Minneapolis that left 37-year-old Alex Pretti dead during a Department of Homeland Security operation. The incident erupted while agents were reportedly executing a targeted action, and the scene has sparked another round of outrage and political theater in a city already on edge.
Department of Homeland Security officials say an agent fired after Pretti allegedly confronted officers with a 9mm handgun and two magazines and violently resisted attempts to disarm him. Border Patrol leadership described the encounter as life-or-death for officers on the scene and framed the response as defensive, not reckless.
But as so often happens, raw footage and social media blurred the official narrative, with some video appearing to show the man holding a phone rather than a weapon, feeding predictable outrage from the left and the media. That controversy is layered on top of a city already roiled by the earlier death of Renee Good, ensuring politicians and activists would seize any opportunity to demonize federal law enforcement.
Minnesota’s political leaders immediately leapt into performative fury, calling for federal agents to leave and accusing the operation of being yet another example of out-of-control federal force. Governor Tim Walz and other local officials who have turned sanctuary posturing into policy now rush to leverage this tragedy for political points instead of backing the hard job of keeping citizens safe.
Meanwhile, the Border Patrol and its union have pushed back hard, warning that reckless rhetoric from politicians and pundits puts officers in danger and encourages confrontations. DHS has said it will lead the investigation with FBI assistance, while the union and conservatives rightly demand that investigations be thorough and that the public withhold judgment until facts emerge.
Hardworking Americans know that enforcing the law is not glamorous and that officers make split-second decisions in dangerous situations. If we insist on gutless politicians who excuse lawlessness and then scream when bad things happen, we get more chaos and less safety; it’s time for leaders to choose courage and clarity over performative moralizing.
The larger lesson is stark and simple: a secure, sovereign border and backing for law enforcement are not optional; they are the foundation of civilized society. Congress and the President must stop the virtue signaling, support trained federal officers when they act lawfully, and hold accountable anyone—politician or protester—who inflames violence for the sake of a headline.
