The mayor of Minneapolis revealed that some Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are preparing to leave the city after two civilians were fatally shot, amid reports that the Border Patrol chief has been reassigned.
On Tuesday, 27 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Jacob Frey, mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, announced that some ICE officers are preparing to depart the city, as President Donald Trump adopts a more conciliatory stance following the shooting deaths of two civilians that sparked widespread anger.
Frey stated on X that “some federal agents” will begin leaving the city but did not specify how many. “I will continue to push for all remaining agents involved in this operation to leave,” he added.
Frey also said he spoke with President Trump on Monday, and the president agreed that the current situation cannot continue.
The White House is rushing to address the situation after a viral video showed Border Patrol agents shooting Alex Prette to death. The footage contradicts government claims that Prette resisted or reached for a gun, justifying the shooting as self-defense.
This incident sparked street protests and criticism from former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, while even members within the Republican Party began pressuring the Trump administration.
In a significant shift, Trump announced he sent Tom Homan, the Border Czar and highest-level border law enforcement official, to Minneapolis on Monday to oversee ICE operations there. Trump said Homan will report directly to him.
Homan’s appointment comes amid U.S. media reports that Gregory Bovino, the embattled Border Patrol chief involved in the controversy, is set to leave Minneapolis. However, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), confirmed Bovino has not been dismissed.
White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt stated, “No one in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people injured or killed.” She also expressed condolences for Alex Prette, an ICU nurse who was fatally shot by ICE agents last Saturday (24 Jan).
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Minneapolis is reviewing a petition to compel federal officials to preserve evidence in Prette’s killing case, promising a swift ruling.
Pressure is also mounting in Congress, with Democrats threatening to block the federal budget bill until reforms to immigration enforcement agencies are enacted.
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Source:cna