A senior U.S. immigration official defended the continuation of an enforcement mission in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying enforcing the law is a "duty." Tensions are high following the fatal shooting of nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal agents.

Greg Bovino, U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large, said: “Our Title 8 immigration mission continues, unabated here in Minneapolis despite yesterday’s tragedy that was preventable by folks making better choices; politicians, journalists, and would-be anarchists and rioters,”. The official spoke as part of a defence of operations by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol in Minnesota.

“Now enforcing the law is not a choice,” the official added, saying that officers “choose to be a Border Patrol agent” and ICE agents choose their roles, but enforcing laws enacted by Congress and upheld by the judiciary is a duty “whether that’s a Title 8 immigration law, whether that’s chasing a bank robber, or a spy or whatever else.”

The official also criticised politicians, community leaders and journalists who had “vilified law enforcement” in heated rhetoric, suggesting that such language contributed to recent confrontations. “When someone chooses to listen to that … there are consequences and actions there also – I think we saw that yesterday,” they said.

• Backlash as federal immigration agents kill a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis

The comments come in the aftermath of heightened tension in Minneapolis over federal immigration enforcement. Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead on 24 January by a federal agent.Public outrage and protests swiftly followed. Local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have criticised the presence of ICE and other federal agents, demanding an end to the operation and greater transparency.

Labour leaders and unions have also weighed in, with calls for ICE to leave Minnesota and urging accountability following Pretti’s death.

State and federal officials have provided conflicting accounts of what happened.

The federal response has included legal moves to preserve evidence in the case, with a judge ordering the Department of Homeland Security to retain materials as investigations continue.

Federal authorities, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Homeland Security officials, have defended the actions of immigration agents and stressed that federal law enforcement has immunity when performing their duties. Local leaders, however, dispute federal narratives and have called for independent investigations into the use of force and broader enforcement tactics.

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