White House Says Homan Will Oversee ICE Coordination In Minnesota As Conflicting Accounts Persist Over Fatal Federal Operation
Monday, January 26, 2026, 12:45 P.M. ET. 4 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
WASHINGTON, DC.- President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is dispatching White House “border czar” Tom Homan to Minneapolis Monday night, directing him to oversee and streamline federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a federal law enforcement action over the weekend.
Pretti, an ICU nurse employed at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was shot and killed early Saturday morning, January 24, 2026, in South Minneapolis as federal agents were conducting a targeted operation to detain a criminal alien. Federal authorities have said Pretti attempted to interfere with the operation and was armed with a handgun when he was shot.
In a statement posted Monday on his social media platform, President Trump said the deployment of Homan was intended to provide direct oversight and accountability at the federal level.
“I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight,” Trump wrote. “He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”
The announcement comes amid mounting public scrutiny and sharply conflicting accounts surrounding the circumstances of Pretti’s death, which has triggered protests and a growing political clash between federal authorities and Minnesota state officials.
Conflicting Accounts Of The Shooting;
Federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security leadership, have maintained that agents acted in self-defense, asserting that Pretti approached officers with a firearm and resisted efforts to disarm him during the operation.
However, video footage reviewed by national wire services appears to contradict portions of that narrative. According to reporting by Reuters and the Associated Press, bystander video shows Pretti holding what appears to be a cellphone while attempting to assist others who had been pushed to the ground by agents. Additional footage reportedly shows an officer retrieving a handgun from Pretti before another agent discharged his weapon.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti was a lawful gun owner and held a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm. Authorities have not publicly released body-camera footage or a complete chronological account of the encounter.
Federal-State Tensions Escalate;
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and local officials have criticized federal agents’ conduct and called for a state-led investigation into the shooting. State officials have also accused federal authorities of preventing local investigators from immediately accessing the scene.
President Trump sharply rejected those claims, accusing Minnesota leadership of politicizing the incident. In a separate post, Trump said the governor and mayor were “inciting insurrection” through what he described as inflammatory rhetoric.
Despite the tension, the White House said Monday that the administration is conducting an internal review of the incident.
“We’re looking, we’re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal, according to ABC News.
Homan’s Role Moving Forward;
Homan, a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a central figure in Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy, is expected to arrive in Minnesota Monday evening. White House officials described his assignment as operational rather than symbolic, with responsibilities that include coordinating ICE and Customs and Border Protection activities and ensuring consistency in enforcement procedures.
The deployment marks a rare instance of direct White House intervention in a localized federal enforcement controversy and underscores the administration’s intent to maintain strict oversight of immigration operations amid growing public scrutiny.
As investigations continue, Pretti’s death has become a flashpoint in the broader national debate over federal authority, immigration enforcement tactics, and use-of-force standards.
Editor’s Note:
This article was written by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor, for Englebrook Independent News, and has verified all core factual elements in this report, including dates, locations, identities, and official statements, using contemporaneous reporting from multiple national wire and broadcast outlets. Where accounts differ, particularly regarding whether Alex Pretti posed an immediate armed threat, claims have been clearly attributed to the appropriate federal, state, or eyewitness sources. This story will be updated as additional verified information, including official investigative findings, becomes available.
