A senior US 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.
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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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Around 1,700 apartment blocks in Kyiv remain without heating after a Russian missile and drone attack earlier this week, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said on Sunday. Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since its invasion in 2022.
Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday reiterated their defence of the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, even multiple videos and witness accounts appear to contradict their account and tensions escalate between local police and federal forces.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Iran for rights abuses and ordered an expanded investigation into a crackdown on anti-government protests that killed thousands, as Tehran warned any military attack would be treated as an all-out war.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on 23 January there are signs Israel is still seeking an opportunity to attack Iran, warning that such a move could further destabilise the Middle East.
Germany is divided over whether to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States if U.S. President Donald Trump were to follow through on remarks about annexing Greenland, a move widely viewed in Europe as a violation of international law.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Canada is opposing the possible construction of his proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system over Greenland, despite what he claimed would be security benefits for Canada.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
Israel will reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt for the movement of people only after an operation to locate the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage is completed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said late on Sunday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited an art studio to oversee sculptures for a memorial dedicated to North Korean soldiers killed while fighting overseas, state media said, amid growing scrutiny of Pyongyang’s military role in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Britain’s Labour Party has blocked Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing to return to parliament, a move that has fuelled accusations from party figures that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to sideline a potential leadership rival.
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