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Tensions have been flaring in Minnesota since the federal government launched an immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities in December.

A major flashpoint erupted January 7 when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good tried to “weaponize her vehicle” and that the agent opened fire out of self-defense. State and local officials have strongly disputed that claim. The deadly shooting, which was captured on video, sparked protests across the country.

Then on January 24 federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident. The Department of Homeland Security said he had a handgun and “violently resisted” when agents tried to disarm him. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said videos show that account to be “nonsense” and “lies.”

The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities are suing the Trump administration, arguing the immigration operation in the state is “a federal invasion,” according to a lawsuit filed on January 12. The lawsuit claims Operation Metro Surge is not a legitimate law enforcement action, but a retaliation effort against Democratic-led Minnesota, citing the president’s disparaging comments toward local officials.

Trump and his administration have said the Constitution gives the federal government broad authority to enforce national immigration laws as the government sees fit.

A federal agent shoots tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd at the scene of a shooting in Minneapolis on January 24. Earlier in the day Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed by federal agents. The Department of Homeland Security said he had a handgun and “violently resisted” when agents tried to disarm him. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said videos show that account to be “nonsense” and “lies.”

Tim Evans/Reuters

People mourn as they gather at the site in Minneapolis where Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents on January 24.

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Flowers are placed at a makeshift memorial for Pretti in Minneapolis on January 24.

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Teyana Gibson Brown reacts after a federal immigration officer used a battering ram to break down a door before arresting her husband, Garrison Gibson, in Minneapolis on January 11.

John Locher/AP

A protester holds an umbrella as they react to tear gas being fired by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 14.

John Locher/AP

John Abernathy throws his camera toward fellow photographer Pierre Lavie as he is tackled by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 15. Abernathy was photographing protests in the city and said agents set tear gas in front of him and sprayed pepper spray into his face. The Department of Homeland Security said Abernathy was arrested for obstructing pedestrian and vehicle traffic on federal property.

Pierre Lavie/@just1dudewithacamera

A demonstrator in downtown Minneapolis holds up a sign January 9 that reads, "Love thy neighbor."

Ryan Murphy/The New York Times/Redux

An American flag is waved as protesters face off with agents outside of ICE headquarters in Minneapolis on January 17.

David Butow/Redux for CNN

Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, is <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F01%2F22%2Fus%2Fminnesota-liam-conejo-ramos-ice-detained">detained by federal agents</a> after arriving home from preschool in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20. He is being held<strong> </strong>with his father at an ICE facility in Texas, according to school district officials and a family attorney. The boy and his family are originally from Ecuador and presented themselves to border officers in Texas in December 2024 to apply for asylum, the family’s lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said during a press conference. The Department of Homeland Security said the father was the intended target of the operation.

Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, is detained by federal agents after arriving home from preschool in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20. He is being held with his father at an ICE facility in Texas, according to school district officials and a family attorney. The boy and his family are originally from Ecuador and presented themselves to border officers in Texas in December 2024 to apply for asylum, the family’s lawyer, Marc Prokosch, said during a press conference. The Department of Homeland Security said the father was the intended target of the operation.

Ali Daniels/AP

Food is left at an apartment door by Sergio Amezcua, a pastor at Dios Habla Hoy, on January 16. Minneapolis residents have joined a church-run effort to deliver donated groceries to immigrant families who fear leaving their homes.

Todd Heisler/The New York Times/Redux

Aliya Rahman, a US citizen, is dragged from her car by federal agents after she was driving through a protest in Minneapolis on January 13. The Department of Homeland Security tweeted that she was arrested for obstruction after ignoring multiple commands to move her vehicle. Rahman told CNN she was confused by conflicting commands from officers and that she was just trying to go to a doctor's appointment.

Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu/Getty Images

Taylor Chaika holds an American flag while chanting with a crowd of protesters in Minneapolis on January 8.

Bridget Bennett for Wall Street Journal

A demonstrator stands in front of law enforcement officers outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on January 15.

Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Residents watch from their windows as federal agents sweep through the streets of Minneapolis on January 14.

Todd Heisler/The New York Times/Redux

A protester was pinned to the ground by federal agents and a chemical irritant was sprayed directly into his face, Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in south Minneapolis, Minn. Protesters gathered in the area after federal agents detained two individuals, according to witnesses.

A protester has a chemical irritant sprayed directly into his face in Minneapolis on January 21. Minnesota Star Tribune photographer Richard Tsong-Taatarii, who captured the image, told CNN that a crowd of protesters became agitated after an ICE agent pushed a cyclist over. That’s when protesters began approaching agents more closely and yelling at them — and agents in turn started wrestling people to the ground, including the man Tsong-Taatarii photographed, he said.

Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Getty Images

A person stands among a cloud of smoke from a riot-control grenade thrown by a federal agent in Minneapolis on January 12.

Tim Evans/Reuters

Jake Lang, a right-wing influencer, is sprayed with water by a protester outside Minneapolis City Hall on January 17. Lang's rally was cut short when the crowd chased him off before he could carry out his plan to burn a Qur’an and march to the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, home to the city’s highest concentration of Somali American residents.

Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune/Getty Images

Students from Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis take part in a walkout on January 12.

Jen Golbeck/AP

Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol official who’s been leading the crackdown in cities across the country, confronts a member of the media in St. Paul on January 11.

Ryan Murphy/The New York Times/Redux

People hug in Minneapolis while visiting a makeshift memorial for Renee Good on January 12. Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F01%2F08%2Fus%2Frenee-nicole-good-minneapolis-ice-shooting-hnk">was killed when an ICE agent shot into her vehicle</a> during an encounter on January 7. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good tried to “weaponize her vehicle” and that the agent opened fire out of self-defense. State and local officials have disputed that claim.

People hug in Minneapolis while visiting a makeshift memorial for Renee Good on January 12. Good, a 37-year-old US citizen, was killed when an ICE agent shot into her vehicle during an encounter on January 7. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good tried to “weaponize her vehicle” and that the agent opened fire out of self-defense. State and local officials have disputed that claim.

John Locher/AP

ChongLy Thao, a naturalized US citizen who goes by the name Scott, is detained after an immigration raid at his home in St. Paul on January 18. He was later returned home without explanation or apology, he told the Reuters news agency. "I was praying. I was like, God, please help me, I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they do this to me? Without my clothes on," Thao, a Hmong man born in Laos, told Reuters.

Leah Millis/Reuters

Thao looks out the window with his son Chris as several vehicles with ICE agents idle in the street outside of their home a day after he was taken from his home.

Leah Millis/Reuters

Community members look on as federal agents detain protesters at the scene of a car crash that involved a Border Patrol vehicle in Minneapolis on January 21.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times/Redux

People gather for a vigil on the block in Minneapolis where Renee Good was fatally shot on January 7.

David Guttenfelder/The New York Times/Redux

Demonstrators sit and sing inside a Target store in St. Paul on January 19. <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F01%2F15%2Fbusiness%2Fminnesota-business-ice-immigration">Target</a> is headquartered in Minneapolis and has roughly 50 stores in the metro area. Two Target employees were arrested by immigration agents at a store in Richfield.

Demonstrators sit and sing inside a Target store in St. Paul on January 19. Target is headquartered in Minneapolis and has roughly 50 stores in the metro area. Two Target employees were arrested by immigration agents at a store in Richfield.

Mark Peterson/Redux