Summary

  • Federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on leave, according to BBC's US partner CBS News

  • Pretti, a US citizen, was shot and killed on Saturday in an incident that sparked ongoing protests

  • Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warns Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is "playing with fire" after Frey said "Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws"

  • Responding to Trump's post on social media, Frey says "The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws"

  • Trump's comments come after Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked at an event she was hosting on Tuesday, when an audience member used a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at her

  • Omar, a Democrat who has frequently clashed with the Trump administration over its immigration policies, was not hurt and continued to speak

  1. Border Patrol agents involved in shooting of Alex Pretti placed on leavepublished at 18:21 GMT
    Breaking

    A federal law enforcement official confirms to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave.

    This is part of the standard protocol after a shooting.

    Stick with us as we bring you the latest.

  2. Border Patrol involved in shooting in Arizona, local authorities saypublished at 18:08 GMT

    Media caption,

    Arizona officials speak out after US Border Patrol shooting

    While much of the public focus on Trump's immigration actions have been centred on the northern US state of Minnesota in recent weeks, yesterday Border Patrol were involved in a shootingnear the southern border with Mexico.

    Authorities in the state of Arizona say there was a shooting on Tuesday involving Border Patrol agents in the community of Arivaca, about 10 miles (16km) from the US-Mexico border.

    Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a news briefing that agents spotted a person suspected of involvement in human trafficking and when they tried to stop his car, he fled on foot.

    Nanos says the suspect opened fire on Border Patrol, agents returned fire, and the suspect was shot.

    The suspect is in the hospital in a serious but stable condition, and the agent was not injured, Nanos said.

    Nanos said the investigation, in coordination with the FBI and other federal partners, is ongoing. This incident was "pretty clear-cut" and coordinating with federal authorities is something "we do all the time", he added.

  3. 'They can keep them': Italians react to news US will send ICE agents to Winter Olympicspublished at 17:27 GMT

    Media caption,

    Anger and unease in Italy over planned ICE role at Winter Olympics

    Residents in Rome say there is no need for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to be sent to the Winter Olympics in Italy.

    Several US departments have confirmed ICE will play a role at the games, which begin on 6 February.

    "We don't want this world. They can keep them," Rome resident Michela says.

    Another Rome resident, Giuseppe, says he does not think an extra police force is necessary and that Italian forces are capable of protecting American athletes.

    "I was surprised what is happening in the United States of America, in a country that is considered the homeland of democracy," adds Marco.

    It is common for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and domestic law enforcement agencies to provide security support at major international events.

    DHS stressed that "all security operations at the Olympics are directed and managed exclusively by Italian authorities".

  4. Two federal agents shot Alex Pretti, 'preliminary review' sayspublished at 17:10 GMT

    Two US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday, according to a government report sent to Congress and obtained by multiple news outlets, including the BBC's US partner CBS News.

    The report, which CBP says was based on a "preliminary review" by its Office of Professional Responsibility, comes after conflicting statements from local officials and the Trump administration about the deadly incident.

    The document reportedly says agents were conducting an operation when they encountered two women blowing whistles and ordered them to move out of the way. One of the women reportedly ran towards Pretti, prompting officers to attempt "to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway".

    "The woman and Pretti did not move," according to the document, which says agents then sprayed a chemical irritant towards Pretti and the woman, and attempted to take Pretti into custody.

    "Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, 'He's got a gun!' multiple times," the report says.

    "Approximately five seconds later," two agents withdrew their guns and fired at Pretti.

    The report says that after the shooting, an agent informed the others he had possession of Pretti's firearm.

    The new information provided by CBP makes no mention of Pretti "brandishing" a gun during the encounter - a claim previously made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

  5. Trump doesn't mention Minnesota at Treasury eventpublished at 17:08 GMT

    U.S. President Donald Trump and musician Nicki Minaj hold hands onstage at the U.S. Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit, in Washington, D.C., U.S. January 28, 2026.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    President Donald Trump and musician Nicki Minaj hold hands onstage

    As we mentioned earlier, we've been listening in to a Treasury event where Trump has been speaking.

    The event was focused on a policy related to savings accounts for children. At one point, the rapper Nicki Minaj was brought on stage and she told the audience she was Trump's biggest supporter.

    The president didn't mention immigration, ICE, or the situation in Minnesota, and has now concluded his remarks.

  6. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visits Alex Pretti's memorialpublished at 17:05 GMT

    Earlier today Minnesota Governor Tim Walz visited a memorial site for Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old man shot by US Border Patrol agents on Saturday.

    He posted a photo standing by the memorial with his wife.

    "I made a promise to Alex’s parents to continue to tell his story," he wrote alongside it. "An ICU nurse at the VA, an outdoorsman, a deeply generous, compassionate friend and family member, and a true son of Minnesota. Rest in peace, Alex."

    While there, he told ABC News that he and his wife were "paying our respects".

    He also reaffirmed that he wants ICE out of the state, despite being asked about a potential shift in tone from President Trump.

    "I'm not so interested in a shift in tone. We just need them out of here, and we need accountability for what's happened," ABC News reports him saying.

  7. Ecuador says ICE agent attempted to enter its Minneapolis consulatepublished at 16:27 GMT

    The government of Ecuador has condemned what it described as an attempt by a US federal immigration agent to enter the Ecuadorean consulate in Minneapolis.

    The agent was prevented from gaining access by consular officials, who acted "to guarantee the protection of the Ecuadoreans who were inside the consulate at the time", a statement by Ecuador's foreign ministry said yesterday.

    Ecuador, whose president is an ally of Trump, has filed an official complaint.

    Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular premises are considered "inviolable" and authorities of the country where the consulate is located "shall not enter" the parts of the consulate used for work "except with the consent of the head of the consular post".

    In a video shared by Ecuadorean media, which has not been independently verified by the BBC, a consular official can be seen rushing to an entrance door and telling an ICE agent "this is the consulate, you're not allowed in here".

    The agent tells the official that "if you touch me, I will grab you".

    The consular official then states again that "you can not enter here, this is a consulate, this is a foreign government's office", before closing the door.

    The BBC has approached the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

  8. Trump about to speak at Treasury eventpublished at 16:07 GMT

    President Trump is about to speak at a Treasury Department event focused on Trump Accounts, the president's initiative for tax-advantaged savings accounts for children.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, actress Cheryl Hines and rapper Nicki Minaj are also attending the event.

    We'll be listening for whether he mentions immigration or the situation in Minnesota and keep you updated.

  9. Trump suggests Minneapolis operation will take 'more relaxed' approach - reportpublished at 16:00 GMT

    A file photo of Trump walkingImage source, WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock

    More now from ABC News's interview with Trump yesterday.

    Trump reportedly told one of the broadcaster's correspondents that the federal government wants to "finish the job" in Minnesota but can start taking a "more relaxed" approach.

    "We'd like to finish the job and finish it well," he is quoted as saying.

    "I think we can do it in a de-escalated form," he said. "A lot of the hardest work is already done."

    "We've taken out the largest part of the bad, really bad people," he said, "so we can start doing maybe a little bit more relaxed."

    He didn't specify when agents would leave the city, but he said the time would come and agents would move somewhere else.

    Trump used similar language in an interview with Fox News yesterday, saying: "We're going to de-escalate a little bit."

  10. Republican fallout grows after federal agents fatally shoot multiple US citizenspublished at 15:46 GMT

    Daniel Bush
    Washington Correspondent

    Republican lawmakers are starting to break with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, as the party scrambles to respond to growing public anger after two US citizens were killed by federal agents.

    However, as some Republicans in Washington speak out against the fatal shootings, they've avoided directly criticising President Trump or his broader immigration agenda.

    "The tragedy and chaos the country is witnessing in Minneapolis is shocking," Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska wrote on social media. "ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties."

    Representative Max Miller of Ohio, a former Trump adviser, said: "There are serious unanswered questions about federal use of force in Minnesota. Transparency and accountability are essential."

    Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Tuesday became one of the first prominent Republicans to call for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to step down.

    Noem "has proven to be way out of her depth", Tillis told reporters, adding that her leadership in Minnesota "should be disqualifying."

    Read more on how Republicans are wrestling with the Trump administration's immigration message.

  11. Trump says Omar 'probably had herself sprayed' - reportpublished at 15:41 GMT

    Representative Ilhan Omar speaks during a town hall on 27 January in MinnesotaImage source, Getty Images

    In the immediate hours after the attack on Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, US President Donald Trump told ABC News he hadn't seen the video but called Omar a "fraud".

    "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her," ABC quotes Trump as saying.

    Trump and Omar have clashed repeatedly in the past, and the president has frequently criticised and made clear his dislike for the congresswoman.

    Following the incident in which a substance was sprayed on Omar yesterday, a 55-year-old man, Anthony James Kazmierczak, has been charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody, according to the local sheriff's office.

    In a message on X afterwards, Omar said: "I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win."

  12. What it was like in the room when a man threw a substance on Omarpublished at 15:33 GMT

    Ana Faguy
    Reporting from Minneapolis

    We travelled to north Minneapolis last night to hear Ilhan Omar speak about the ongoing federal immigration operation in her city.

    We wanted to hear from residents in the area and Omar about how they were feeling just days after Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents.

    In the basement where her town hall was happening, it was a sauna. They couldn't recalibrate the heat, so it was blasting. There were 100 or so people there to listen to their congresswoman, and a lot of press.

    For the first chunk of the event, it was a standard town hall, local officials talked about trash pickup. When Omar took the podium, much of her remarks centred on the presence of ICE in Minneapolis.

    It was just after she mentioned wanting the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when a man in a coat and burgundy shirt charged toward her.

    It was a moment of chaos as we all realised what was happening. The man shouted but we couldn't make out the words.

    Those towards the front of the room smelt the sour, orange-coloured liquid that Minneapolis police said the suspect sprayed at her.

    As police and Omar's security carried him away, he shouted "she's pitting us against each other".

    Omar continued her remarks, but the sudden incident - and the lingering tension in the city - was still at the front of everyone's minds.

    Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody, the local sheriff's office said.

  13. Minneapolis mayor responds after Trump said he is 'playing with fire'published at 15:00 GMT

    Frey has responded to Trump's comment that he is "playing with fire" after the mayor said yesterday that "Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws".

    Frey just wrote back on X: "The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws.

    "I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS (Minneapolis) & is from Ecuador.

    "It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911."

    Frey appears to be referencing Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, who was the Republican mayor of New York City from 1994-2001. As mayor, Giuliani advocated for the rights and protection of undocumented migrants.

  14. What the Minneapolis mayor said about federal immigration laws and how Trump respondedpublished at 14:55 GMT

    A file photo of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, he is wearing and suit and standing in front of a US flagImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

    As we've been reporting, Donald Trump has threatened Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, after Frey said on Tuesday that he would not change local immigration policies and enforce federal immigration laws.

    Frey said on social media that he told Trump's border tsar Tom Homan he would not change the city's sanctuary city policies - which the Trump administration views as favouring undocumented immigrants.

    He said: "I reiterated that my main ask is for Operation Metro Surge to end as quickly as possible. Public safety works best when it's built on community trust, not tactics that create fear or division.

    "I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.

    "I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbours and streets safe."

    Trump replied on Truth Social: "Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!"

    The president said Frey's post came "after having had a very good conversation with him".

    Trump administration officials have frequently urged local officials to comply with ICE requests. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has said the state is complying with its obligations to federal law.

  15. Unidentified liquid sprayed on congresswoman Ilhan Omar yesterdaypublished at 14:43 GMT

    Media caption,

    Watch: Moment Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar is attacked at town hall

    As we mentioned in our last post, Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked at an event she was hosting on Tuesday, when an audience member used a syringe to spray liquid at her, Minneapolis police said.

    Omar was uninjured and continued to speak. "I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win," she later wrote on X.

    Authorities have not yet identified what the liquid was. According to a BBC journalist in the room, it had a sour smell similar to a chemical product.

    Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody, the local sheriff's office said.

    Just before the incident, Omar said Trump's key ally Kristi Noem - whose Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees ICE - should "resign or face impeachment" over recent events in her state.

    As he was pushed out of the room following his use of the syringe, the man said that Omar was "pitting us against each other". It was not immediately clear what he was referring to.

    Officials pleaded with Omar to end the event, but the congresswoman insisted that she would continue, telling her audience: "We will continue... we are Minnesota strong."

  16. Trump says Minneapolis mayor 'playing with fire' as tensions over ICE continuepublished at 14:27 GMT

    Sakshi Venkatraman
    US reporter

    US President Donald Trump says the mayor of Minneapolis is "playing with fire" as tensions over immigration enforcement continue in Minnesota.

    Last night, Mayor Jacob Frey wrote on X that "Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws" - drawing the ire of the president who says he is breaking the law.

    It comes as lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle call for a de-escalation in the state, after Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti on Saturday.

    Last night at a town hall, Democratic Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unidentified substance at the same event, Omar said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should "resign or face impeachment" over recent events in her state.

    We'll bring you all the latest throughout the day - stick with us.