President Donald Trump said he ordered the Department of Homeland Security not to intervene in “protests and/or riots” in Democratic-led cities unless local leaders ask for help.
In a Truth Social post shared Saturday, Trump noted federal officers will still be “very forceful” in their protection of federal property amid protests against his mass deportation campaign, with anti-ICE rallies taking place in cities across the country.
State and local governments “must use the word, ‘PLEASE’” before asking for the federal government’s help, he wrote.
Organizers said more than 300 “ICE Out of Everywhere” protests were scheduled Saturday as outrage grows over a surge of agents into Democratic cities and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Saturday’s actions follow Friday’s “national shutdown” event, in which organizers encouraged people to skip work, school and shopping in protest.
Saturday’s demonstrations kicked off as a federal judge denied Minnesota’s request to block officers from surging into the state while a closely watched legal challenge continues.
Meanwhile, Trump has labeled Pretti an “agitator” and “perhaps, insurrectionist” after the release of a video that shows a confrontation in the days before Pretti’s death between federal agents and the ICU nurse, who was shot dead by border patrol agents one week later.
“Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing,” Steve Schleicher, an attorney for Pretti’s family, told The Independent.
Key Points
- Trump says 'people will suffer' if they spit on DHS officers
- Hundreds of 'ICE Out of Everywhere' protests planned nationwide
- Judge won’t halt Trump's Minnesota surge while lawsuit plays out
- Judge orders release of 5-year-old and father detained by ICE
- Lawmakers calls for investigation into charges against Don Lemon
Live coverage has ended for the day
Sunday 1 February 2026 13:41 , Isabel KeaneCheck back tomorrow for updates...
New details about the face recognition app that federal agents use to speed up arrests
Thursday 29 January 2026 20:36 , Rachel DobkinNew details have emerged about the face recognition app that federal immigration agents use to identify people and speed up arrests.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s use of Mobile Fortify has already been reported on, but the Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 AI Use Case Inventory released Wednesday gave new insight into the technology that agents are using to carry out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.
Customs and Border Protection said the app became “operational” in early May 2025, and ICE got access to it later that month, according to Wired.
Read more about Mobile Fortify:
ICE is using Border Patrol mobile facial recognition technology to speed up arrests
ICE has Hispanic people so afraid of being arrested they are drinking less, tequila maker claims
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:00 , Graig GraziosiThe world's largest tequila maker is blaming President Donald Trump's heavy-handed immigration crackdowns on its slumping sales.
Proximo Spirits — the U.S. distribution arm for Becle, which owns Jose Cuervo tequila — said that fear in the Hispanic community has kept some at home rather than going out and having drinks.
“The tension of the immigration policies has created a very difficult atmosphere with consumers, especially with immigrants, with Hispanics, [who] obviously make up a big portion of our particular business,” Lander Otegui, Proximo Spirits' head of marketing, told The Financial Times.
Read more...
Hakeem Jeffries spars with Fox News host over immigration crackdown
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:20 , Rachel DobkinHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sparred with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Thursday over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Earlier Thursday, the Senate failed to advance a six-bill government funding package that the House previously passed, as Democrats refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security following the two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month.
“These six bills were signed as part of the hangover from the last [government] shutdown, and they were all agreed to before what happened in Minneapolis, which was very tragic,” MacCallum said.
Jeffries: We believe there should be a prohibition on ICE deporting or detaining American citizens. We believe that ICE should conduct itself like every other law enforcement agency in the country, that they should not run around with masks, that they should have body cameras,… pic.twitter.com/wpgIfCII6r
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 29, 2026
Jeffries tried to interject, but the host continued, “But Minneapolis is a unique situation.”
“Well, let me just address the statement that you just made because that’s inaccurate. The Homeland Security funding bill was...prior to the cold-blooded killing of Alex Pretti. And the overwhelming majority of House Democrats voted against it,” Jeffries said.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus calls on DHS to 'bring Liam home'
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:40 , Rachel DobkinThe Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called on the Department of Homeland Security to release five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father after the pair was taken into federal custody outside their Minnesota home last week.
A 5-year-old child should be going home after preschool, not sleeping in detention. We are calling on DHS to release Liam and his father now. #BringLiamHome pic.twitter.com/ms0UdSdT6y
— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (@HispanicCaucus) January 29, 2026
The preschooler and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, are currently in a detention center in Texas.
New video shows Alex Pretti tackled by federal agents after kicking car 11 days before fatal shooting
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:52 , Mike BediganWhen asked about her 'domestic terrorism' comments, Noem shifts blame to Biden
Friday 30 January 2026 03:00 , Rachel DobkinWhen Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night about her accusing Renee Good and Alex Pretti of “domestic terrorism,” she dodged the question and shifted blame to former President Joe Biden.
“People seem to be upset over the term domestic terrorism. Why do you believe that’s appropriate, because you used it in both cases?” Hannity said.
Noem replied, “We’re continuing to gather information, and the FBI leading this investigation is important to make sure that we talk about both these situations appropriately.”
“We’ll continue to get to the truth of all of this, but we can’t distract from the fact of how we got here,” Noem added. “We got here because we had a Biden administration that allowed an invasion over our southern border and allowed millions of people to come into our country unvetted.”
Good and Pretti, both U.S. citizens, were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month. No evidence has been provided to the public to back Noem’s claims that Good and Pretti were domestic terrorists.
Trump calls border czar Tom Homan 'terrific'
Friday 30 January 2026 03:30 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump called his border czar, Tom Homan, “terrific” at a screening for Melania Trump’s new film.
“I think he’s terrific, but we have to get rid of the criminals. We have to take criminals out of our country — so from that standpoint nothing’s going to change,” the president said Thursday.
Trump sent Homan to Minnesota after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month.
At a press conference in Minneapolis earlier Thursday, Homan said he’d be “staying ‘til the problem’s gone.”
Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills after Trump said a deal was struck
Friday 30 January 2026 04:00 , Rachel DobkinThe Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills to keep the government open, according to congressional reporters.
Trump announced on Truth Social earlier Thursday, “Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before).
“Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”
The Senate previously failed to advance a six-bill government funding package that the House already passed, as Democrats refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security following the two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month.
Another anti-ICE protest in Minnesota will take place Friday
Friday 30 January 2026 04:30 , Rachel DobkinAnother economic blackout will take place in Minnesota on Friday to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the state.
But, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune, it won’t have as big a turnout as the strike last Friday, which saw hundreds of businesses temporarily close.
Recap of Minnesota events so far
Friday 30 January 2026 04:42 , Mike BediganIt’s been a busy day so far, so here’s a recap of things you should know about the ongoing situation in Minnesota:
- Trump border czar Tom Homan has arrived in Minneapolis to take control of immigration enforcement efforts following the backlash to the deaths of protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.
- Homan admitted that “no agency is perfect,” following the two fatal shootings by federal agents, but said he would not be “surrendering the president’s mission.”
- Governor Tim Walz said he has spoken to Homan face-to-face, describing him as “professional.”
- Donald Trump concluded his first cabinet meeting of the year after almost 90 minutes without mentioning the situation in Minnesota once or taking questions.
- Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was not called on to give remarks in the meeting, following backlash against her handling of the situation in Minneapolis.
- Federal assault charges against Anthony Kazmierczak, the man who attacked Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar earlier this week, have been revealed. He faces one count for having “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated and officer and employee of the United States.”
Hochul suggests Noem is delusional for Fox News comments
Friday 30 January 2026 05:00 , Rachel DobkinNew York Governor Kathy Hochul has suggested Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is delusional after she went on Fox News and said “radicals” were “attacking” her for doing her job.
“These radicals are attacking me, but I’m just doing my job. I’m following the law, enforcing the laws like President Trump promised that he would do,” Noem told host Sean Hannity Thursday night.
Hochul’s press office responded to a clip of Noem’s comments on social media with the definition of the word delusion.
https://t.co/8IY90oIXMI pic.twitter.com/XY7R6X0jOy
— Governor Hochul Press Office (@NYGovPress) January 30, 2026
The New York governor has called for Noem to resign, arguing she has “forfeited her right to lead” after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in two separate incidents Min inneapolis this month.
Read on...
New York governor calls on Kristi Noem to resign as Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem reacts to video of Alex Pretti days before shooting
Friday 30 January 2026 05:30 , Rachel DobkinHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has reacted to a video of Alex Pretti getting into a confrontation with federal agents days before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol in another confrontation.
“Well, clearly there’s a history there of attacking our law enforcement officers and our CBP [Customs and Border Protection] and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officers and that’s an example of what our officers have had to face every single day in Minneapolis and in Minnesota,” Noem told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night.
In the video, Pretti is seen kicking a government vehicle's taillight before agents tackled him to the ground.
Steve Schleicher, an attorney for Pretti’s family, preivously told The Independent: "Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing.”
Democrats say they've 'seen enough' from DHS, calls for Noem to be impeached
Friday 30 January 2026 06:00 , Rachel DobkinDemocrats on the House Homeland Security committee have said that they've “seen enough” from the department they oversee and have called for Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.
Kristi Noem’s masked secret police shot and killed an ICU nurse and a mother of 3.
— Homeland Dems (@HomelandDems) January 30, 2026
We’ve seen enough. She needs to be impeached. https://t.co/2bYJ28Yz9v
Federal immigration agents in Minneapolis fatally shot Renee Good, a mother of three, and ICU nurse Alex Pretti in two separate incidents this month. The department has framed both shootings as self-defense.
Gavin Newsom on Trump's immigration crackdown: 'None of this can be normalized'
Friday 30 January 2026 06:30 , Rachel DobkinCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has urged Americans not to normalize what’s happening amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
“It’s tragic what’s happening,” Newsom said at a Bloomberg event, adding that federal immigration officials are “terrorizing communities.”
What more evidence do we need that Donald Trump is trying to torch our republic.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 30, 2026
None of this can be normalized. pic.twitter.com/3HpDEQLrDt
“People are dying in the United States of America,” Newsom said. “None of this can be normalized.“
Newsom’s comments come after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in two separate incidents in Minneapolis this month.
ICYMI: New details revealed on liquid Ilhan Omar was sprayed with after she spoke out against ICE
Friday 30 January 2026 07:00 , Alex WoodwardThe Department of Justice has filed federal criminal charges against the man who lunged at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis.
Anthony Kazmierczak was swiftly detained and booked by Minnesota authorities on state-level third-degree assault after Tuesday’s incident.
Now, an unsealed federal criminal complaint alleges Kazmierczak “forcibly assaulted, opposed, impeded, intimidated an officer and employee of the United States” while she was engaged in official duties.
The FBI’s affidavit alleges Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with a syringe filled with apple cider vinegar, which “stained her clothes and may have reached her face and right eye.” The affidavit also included a picture of the syringe that Kamierczak was accused of wielding.
Watch: Tom Homan says 'no agency is perfect' as he does damage control in Minneapolis
Friday 30 January 2026 07:30 , Rachel DobkinIn pictures: Minneapolis pays tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti with memorials
Friday 30 January 2026 08:00 , Rachel DobkinMinneapolis has paid tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti after they were fatally shot by federal immigration agents this month.
Trump says Alex Pretti's stock is 'way down' after the emergence of new footage
Friday 30 January 2026 08:15 , Owen Scott
Donald Trump has branded Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse shot dead by border agents, as an “insurrectionist” whose “stock has gone way down.”
The president made the shocking allegations on Truth Social in a lengthy and furious post.
“Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” the president claimed. “It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control.
“The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Although Trump did not reference this in his post, Pretti was aggressively wrestled to the ground by a squad of border agents in the footage.
Watch: Melania struggles to describe her new film in three words
Friday 30 January 2026 08:47 , Owen ScottMelania Trump struggled to describe the plot of her new movie at the red carpet for the film’s premiere.
“I think people should judge it for themselves,” she said ominiously.
She attended the event with her husband, amid the chaotic fallout of the two shootings of civilians by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Trump reshared a painting of himself conducting MAGA acolytes on Truth Social
Friday 30 January 2026 09:10 , Owen Scott
Donald Trump has re-shared a video, originally uploaded by a supporter, depicting a painting of himself conducting an orchestra.
A closer look at that orchestra reveals Karoline Leavitt, dressed in a white robe and playing the harp, alongside the late Charlie Kirk.
Kirk and Marco Rubio can be seen playing the violin, while Elon Musk, wearing sunglasses, can be seen wielding a crimson electric guitar in the background.
Accompanying the surreal video is British rock band Queen’s mega-hit Who Wants to Live Forever?
Uploading the video to Truth Social, Trump did not credit the original artist.
Bruce Springsteen releases protest song about the Minneapolis shootings
Friday 30 January 2026 09:27 , Owen ScottBruce Springsteen mocking labelled the president “King Trump” in a fiery new song dedicated to Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Entitled Streets of Minneapolis, the song brands ICE as Trump’s “private army” and accompanies a video of the huge protests erupting across Minneapolis.
“I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” Springsteen said in a statement. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.”
Bruce Springsteen slams ‘King Trump’ and ‘federal thugs’ in Minneapolis protest song
Trump compared Minneapolis to Venezuela, Tim Walz says
Friday 30 January 2026 09:47 , Owen Scott
Donald Trump compared ICE operations in Minneapolis to his abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Tim Walz says.
"He told me how well that went," the governor told MS NOW, referring to the Venezuelan operation. "What's strange to me was, he saw an operation in Venezuela against a foreign nation in the same context he saw an operation against a US state and a US city."
He added that “not once” during the phone call did Trump mention Renee Good or Alex Pretti by name, nor did he “ask how the people of Minnesota are doing.”
Walz also claimed that Trump asked, “What’s wrong with you people?” referring to resistance to the ICE crackdown.
Watch: Donald Trump brushes off accusations that he fell asleep during a press conference
Friday 30 January 2026 10:00 , Owen ScottDonald Trump brushes off accusations that he fell asleep during a press conference.
“Look, it got pretty boring,” he joked, to loud laughter from the room.
“I wanted to get the hell out of here...” he added, before doing an impression of himself sleeping.
Tom Homan says that sanctuary cities make Americans less safe...but is that actually true?
Friday 30 January 2026 10:17 , Owen Scott
During a press conference, Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, claimed that sanctuary cities “endanger the residents of the community.
Homan, who has taken over ICE operations in Minneapolis, added that he believes “sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals.”
But, first, what is a sanctuary city?
It’s an unofficial term for a city which has passed laws restricting or banning local authorities from co-operating with immigration enforcers. New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago are all examples of sanctuary cities.
But does this actually make those cities less safe?
According to a David Hausman’s 2020 study, crime rates are not higher in sanctuary cities even though deportation rates are lower.
The sweeping study looked at more than 200 sanctuary counties and cities from 2010 until 2015.
Meanwhile, research from the Center for American Progress found in 2017 that there are 35.5 fewer crimes per 10,000 people in counties which do not hand over illegal immigrants in detention to ICE, compared to counties that do.
Trump skips over Kristi Noem at a cabinet meeting amid reports of him souring on her tenure as DHS Secretary
Friday 30 January 2026 10:37 , Owen ScottDonald Trump, who normally conducts lengthy cabinet meetings, skipped over Kristi Noem at a briefing yesterday.
Normally, the president lets each cabinet member speak but yesterday’s meeting saw him calling on only a select few. Notably, Noem was not asked to speak.
The DHS secretary has become a prominent figure in the controversial ICE crackdown in Minneapolis, with many prominent lawmakers calling for her to resign.
During the entire conference, the embattled Noem did not speak a word.
Andrew Feinberg has the full story...
Kristi Noem is iced out of Trump’s suspiciously brief cabinet meeting
Asylum seekers detained in Minneapolis have been flown to Texas, lawyers say
Friday 30 January 2026 10:48 , Owen Scott
Dozens of refugees and asylum seekers legally admitted to the U.S. have been arrested in Minneapolis and flown to Texas, immigration lawyers told CNN.
The sources claimed that the detainees have been forced to re-examine their asylum claims and have been denied contact with their families.
“I fled my home country because I was facing government repression,” a plaintiff identified as D. Doe said in a statement, seen by CNN “I can’t believe it’s happening again here.
“It’s chilling and I’m scared.”
According to the CNN sources, some detainees have been released in Texas without their phones or any money. Others say they remain detained, without any information as to why they are in custody.
The Independent has contacted the DHS and ICE for comment.
One Minneapolis business owner is working 16 hour shifts so employees can dodge ICE
Friday 30 January 2026 10:52 , Owen Scott
Michael Knox, the co-owner of Toma Mojo Grill near Minneapolis, told Buisness Insider that he has been working 16 hour shifts amid the ICE immigration crackdown.
He says that his staff are terrified to come into work, forcing him to cover their shifts.
“I worry that ICE agents will come to my business to abduct my staff,” he said. “ICE agents are bad for business, no matter which way they come.
“Last week, my sales were down about 40% year over year.”
Michael says that he has been forced to work long shifts to keep the restaurant open, so that he can continue to pay his staff.
He told the publication that the current situation in Minneapolis and revealed that more violence could be just around the corner.
“What's happening in Minneapolis should horrify every American,” he told Buisiness Insider. “There's a very real, pervasive fear about what's going to happen next.
“That's bad for business. That's bad for life,” he added. “And I'm worried that there's going to be more loss of life.”
Alex Pretti had broken a rib during a clash with ICE just days before his death
Friday 30 January 2026 11:27 , Owen Scott
Alex Pretti suffered a broken rib after ICE agents forced him to the ground, just days before he was gunned down by border patrol officers.
“A week before Alex was gunned down in the street – despite posing no threat to anyone – he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents,” Steve Schleicher, attorney for the Pretti family, told CNN.
Schleicher was referring to a video that surfaced during the week, in which Pretti is seen kicking and spitting at an ICE vehicle. In response, the federal agents threw him to the ground.
However, Schleicher says that encounter does not justify his killing.
“Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24.”
Residents of a Trump county in Minnesota have slammed his ICE crackdown
Friday 30 January 2026 11:47 , Owen Scott
Residents in a deep-red county in Minnesota have slammed the Trump administration over the fallout of its brutal ICE crackdown.
Meeker County is just 66 miles from Minneapolis, where much of the chaos caused by the huge ICE operation is taking place.
According to CBS News, Trump previously had won the county with a 30% majority.
“I think what's happening is deplorable,” Emma Wettstein told the broadcaster.
Her mom, Christina Garcia, said that, although she believes criminals with no right to remain in the U.S. should be deported, the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were wrong.
“It makes me very sad,” she said. “I can see getting rid of the criminals.
“I'm all for that. But there's a right way and a wrong way and they're doing it the wrong way and they need to leave.”
Dean Rueckert told CBS News that ICE were approaching illegal immigration in the wrong way.
“Take them so they get licenses and everything else, so they can work here,” he said. “Instead of throwing them in jail and kicking them out and everything else.”
However, Dean Urdahl, a former state representative and a Republican, said that Minnesota’s government should co-operate with ICE.
“I think it's really an unfortunate situation," he told CBS News. “The ICE officers are trying to enforce federal law.
“I think most Minnesotans want to see the worst of the worst illegal immigrants taken back and deported.”
Watch: Trump swats away corruption claims at Melania's movie premiere
Friday 30 January 2026 12:00 , Owen ScottDonald Trump dismissed allegations of corruption after his wife was paid $45 million by Amazon to star in a documentary film.
A journalist said that critics had accused the president of corporate corruption, prompting Trump to roll out a familiar defense...
Kristi Noem says that she used the 'best information' during early media appearances about Alex Pretti's killing
Friday 30 January 2026 12:25 , Owen Scott
Kristi Noem says that she was “using the best information” when she claimed that Alex Pretti had brandished a gun.
Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity, she said that she had simply been trying to keep the American people informed.
“We were using the best information we had at the time, seeking to be transparent with the American people and get them what we knew to be true on the ground,” Noem claimed.
She also addressed a newly released video which shows Pretti spitting at and kicking an ICE vehicle, days before his death. The clip also shows him being wrestled to the ground by federal agents.
“Well, clearly there’s a history there of attacking our law enforcement officers and our CBP and ICE officers,” Noem said on Hannity. “And that’s an example of what our officers have had to face every single day in Minneapolis and Minnesota, and why I’m grateful that the President had the wisdom to send Tom Homan there to have conversations again to see if he can get the leaders — Governor Walz and Mayor Frey — to commit to honoring our detainers and to keeping our officers safe while they do their work.”
Noem 'should come out and say her comments were inappropriate,' says Minnesota lawmaker
Friday 30 January 2026 12:46 , Owen Scott
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said that Kristi Noem “should come out and say her comments were inappropriate,” after the DHS Secretary accused Alex Pretti of brandishing a gun.
Pretti was shot to death under a week ago by border patrol agents, while he was protesting Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Noem had defended her characterization of his shooting by suggesting that she was using the “best information” that she had available to her.
But Moriarty told CNN that her defense is not good enough.
“Everybody knows, especially as she describes it, the scene was chaotic and so, of course, you’re getting information that may not be accurate,” Moriarty said. “Even though we’re all trying to seek transparency, it’s really irresponsible to say things about the victim of a homicide without really knowing what you’re talking about.
“Any time that some community member is shot and killed, the best course of action is to say: ‘We will do a complete and thorough investigation, we will be transparent, we’ll tell you what our investigation reveals and we’ll tell you what our decision and why we made that decision.’”
Why is Kristi Noem at the center of the ongoing ICE scandal in Minneapolis?
Friday 30 January 2026 13:01 , Owen ScottTwo Republican senators called for Kristi Noem to resign as DHS Secretary on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, countless Democrats have called on the president to remove Noem from her office.
But why did the management of Operation Metro Surge, which has seen federal agents shoot two civillians dead, become so chaotic?
Eric Garcia has the full story...
How Kristi Noem became focus of Republican anger over Minneapolis shootings
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested over Minnesota protest
Friday 30 January 2026 13:21 , Owen Scott
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested last night on charges that he broke federal law, while at a protest in Minnesota.
The demonstration unfolded days ago at the Cities Church in St Paul, with protestors interrupting a service inside the building, according to CNN. After entering the building, the group chanted, “ICE OUT.”
According to The New York Times, Lemon said that he was simply reporting as a journalist at the January 18 protest. The Trump administration has tried to charge eight people in connection with the incident, citing a law protecting people trying to participate in a service while in a house of worship.
The evidence against Lemon was dismissed as insufficient before Lemon was arrested. The exact charges he has been given remain unknown.
Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s lawyer, told the NYT that her client plans to fight the charges.
“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Mr. Lemon said in a recent video, according to the NYT. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”
School leaders and lawmakers are worried about a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE
Friday 30 January 2026 13:40 , Owen Scott
School leaders and lawmakers are worried about the health of a 5-year-old boy whose father was taken into custody by ICE, according to reports.
The case has sparked international interest, with Liam Conejo Ramos being photographed in a blue hat while his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, was dragged away by federal agents.
Both Liam and his father were transferred to South Texas Family Residential Center, despite being detained in Minnesota.
However, Zena Stenvik, the Columbia Heights Public Schools superintendent, said that the youngster has developed a fever and is sick. She told The Minneapolis Star Tribune that she also believes two other children from her school district are being detained at the facility.
Members of Congress visited Liam on Wednesday, with Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro calling for the boy’s release.
“He was lying in his father’s arms,” Castro said. “His father said Liam has been sleeping a lot.
“He’s been asking about his family and his classmates,” he added. “I think that he wants to go be back in school with his classmates.”
A national shutdown could see thousands of school children and workers staying home today
Friday 30 January 2026 14:01 , Owen Scott
A “national shutdown” is set to take place today, meaning thousands of students and workers could be refusing to go to work or school to protest Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
The walkout has been backed by several major unions and student groups, with organizers hoping to rattle the Trump administration.
The protest follows a similar general strike which took place in Minnesota last week, with hundreds of business putting their shutters down to protest the presence of ICE agents in the area.
“The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country — to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN,” the national walkout’s organizers wrote on their website. “On Friday, January 30, join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping.”
Several prominent celebrities, including Materialists star Pedro Pascal and Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder, as well as the rapper Macklemore, have backed the walkout on social media.
The Somali Student Association, the Ethiopian Student Association, the Black Student Union, the Liberian Student Association, the Graduate Labor Union, and the political organization 50501, have also endorsed the walkout.
Watch: Donald Trump says that China won't let Canada play ice hockey if their trading relationship grows
Friday 30 January 2026 14:25 , Owen ScottDonald Trump claimed that China will ban Canada from playing ice hockey, if the two countries develop a stronger trading relationship.
His bizarre claims about one of the United States’ closest allies came after he took a swipe at another nation aligned with the U.S: the United Kingdom.
Independent readers are ditching all travel to the US...here's why
Friday 30 January 2026 14:55 , Owen ScottIndependent readers are increasingly turning their backs on dreams of US travel, citing political turmoil, safety concerns, and the Trump administration’s actions as major deterrents.
A poll conducted by our travel correspondent Simon Calder revealed that 80 per cent of respondents would avoid travelling to America, while only 11 per cent said they would still go. Of those who had already booked trips, around one in seven were considering cancelling.
Here’s the full story...
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‘I won’t go near Trump’s America’: Readers on why tourists are ditching US trips
Gregory Bovino says he is ‘proud’ of ICE amid chaos over the federal agency’s activities in Minneapolis
Friday 30 January 2026 15:07 , Owen Scott
Gregory Bovino has said he is proud of ICE, despite Trump removing him from his “commander at large” role in Minneapolis.
Bovino was replaced by Border Czar Tom Homan, after the “commander at large” doubled down on defending federal agents after the shooting of Alex Pretti.
Now, Bovino is singing ICE’s praises once again.
“I’m very proud of what you, the Mean Green Machine, are doing in Minneapolis right now, just like you’ve done it across the United States over these tough past nine months,” Bovino said at a press conference. “I want you to know you are the modern day equivalent of turn and burn.”
White House trolls Don Lemon over his arrest
Friday 30 January 2026 15:30 , Mike BediganThe White House has mocked former CNN anchor Don Lemon over his arrest on federal charges related to his presence at an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
“When life gives you lemons,” the official White House X account wrote Friday morning, posting a black and white photo of Lemon.
When life gives you lemons... ⛓️ pic.twitter.com/wxry0fudOj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 30, 2026
The journalist was arrested Thursday evening, alongside three others “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 30, 2026
More details soon.
Woman injured in three-car pileup with federal agents
Friday 30 January 2026 16:00 , Mike BediganA woman was taken to hospital after being involved in a three-car pileup with federal agents in Minneapolis Thursday morning.
The crash took place around 6:45 a.m. at Penn Avenue North and West Broadway Avenue, according to Minneapolis Police Department.
The federal agents were in pursuit of someone in a Chevrolet van when the crash occurred at the intersection.
A Toyota RAV4 was also involved in the crash, with the driver also taken to hospital.
The condition of the woman was not immediately known.
The Independent has contacted MPD for further information on the incident.
Three others, including independent journalist, arrested with Don Lemon
Friday 30 January 2026 16:30 , Mike BediganThree other people were arrested alongside former CNN anchor Don Lemon, on Thursday.
Trahern Jeen Crews, Jamael Lydell Lundy and Georgia Fort, were also detained “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Fort, an independent journalist, was also arrested Thursday evening, she said in a Facebook live video.
“I don’t feel like I have my First Amendment right as a member of the press,” Fort said in her video. “Because now federal agents are at my door arresting me for filming the church protest a few weeks ago.”
It is unclear what the charges are against Fort or the others.
Crews is a former Democratic political candidate, while Lundy is a criminal justice reform advocate.
Freedom of the Press Foundation slams 'outrageous' arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort
Friday 30 January 2026 16:45 , Mike BediganThe Freedom of the Press Foundation has slammed the “outrageous attack” on press freedom following the arrests of former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort.
“The government’s arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are naked attacks on freedom of the press,” FPF Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern said,
“These arrests, under bogus legal theories for obviously constitutionally protected reporting, are clear warning shots aimed at other journalists. The unmistakable message is that journalists must tread cautiously because the government is looking for any way to target them.
“Fort’s arrest is meant to instill the same fear in local independent journalists as big names like Lemon.”
Stern continued: “The answer to this outrageous attack is not fear or self-censorship. It’s an even stronger commitment to journalism, the truth, and the First Amendment.
“If the Trump administration thinks it can bully journalists into submission, it is wrong.”
Reporters Without Borders calls for immediate release of Lemon and Fort
Friday 30 January 2026 17:00 , Mike BediganReporters Without Borders has called for the immediate release of former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent journalist and Georgia Fort in Minneapolis.
"RSF has learned that award-winning journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have been arrested for simply doing their jobs as journalists — another attack on every American’s press freedom, said Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF North America.
“The Trump administration cannot send federal agents after reporters simply because they don't like the stories being reported — especially after already failing multiple times to obtain a warrant from the courts for Lemon's arrest.
“Lemon and Fort should be released immediately. They have RSF’s full support."
Karen Bass slams arrest of Don Lemon after his arrest in Los Angeles
Friday 30 January 2026 17:30 , Mike BediganLos Angeles mayor Karen Bass has accused the Trump administration of “escalating” tensions following the arrest of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.
Former CNN anchor Lemon was arrested in LA Thursday night, ahead of the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
“Don Lemon, an internationally known and renowned journalist and friend, was arrested last night by federal agents and is now in custody in Los Angeles – simply for doing his job and following a protest into a church in Minneapolis while reporting the story,” Bass wrote on X.
“Emmy-winning news producer and Minnesota-based journalist Georgia Fort – another widely respected Black journalist – was also arrested by federal agents in Minnesota for reporting on the same protest.
“The arrest of journalists for going into a church in the course of reporting is shocking enough, but what’s even more alarming is that it's no secret that Don Lemon is a Trump critic.”
Bass added: “Let me be very clear – President Trump is not de-escalating anything after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. In fact, the arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort demonstrates quite the opposite – he is escalating.
“First, Trump’s agents shoot and kill people exercising their First Amendment rights, and now we’re arresting journalists going into a church. It’s an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.
“I have reached out to the U.S. Attorney to check on Don Lemon’s status.”
New York Governor announces bill to stop ICE deputizing local police
Friday 30 January 2026 18:00 , Mike BediganNew York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced she will introduce a new bill to stop ICE agents from deputizing local police to help with immigration efforts.
“When power is abused, New York will act. Today, I’m announcing new actions to keep local police focused on local crime and protect New Yorkers from ICE overreach,” Hochul posted on X Friday.
“Local cops should be focused on local crime. Today I'm announcing the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act to stop ICE from deputizing police to do a federal agency’s job.”
Trump at odds with Homan on pulling federal agents from Minnesota after Pretti killing
Friday 30 January 2026 18:30 , Mike BediganHours after a freshly dispatched Tom Homan suggested that the Department of Homeland Security could reduce the number of agents and officers deployed to Minneapolis in the wake of the fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti, President Donald Trump appeared to contradict his border czar.
Andrew Feinberg has the full story:
Trump at odds with Homan on pulling federal agents from Minnesota after Pretti
Recap: Meet the key people behind Trump's immigration agenda
Friday 30 January 2026 19:00 , Owen ScottThe network of Trump loyalists behind his brutal crackdown on immigration into the U.S is getting fairly substantial at this point.
The president’s plan to deport tens of thousands of people has seen ICE agents and National Guard troops surging into U.S. cities, including Minneapolis which has become a flashpoint for the crisis.
Amongst the clique at the top of the Trump administration is Kristi Noem, the DHS Secretary, who has become a controversial figure in regards to the Minneapolis crisis.
Stephen Miller is another key organizer of the crackdown. He reportedly told officers that he wanted them to detain at least 3000 people per day.
Here’s a helpful recap on who’s who behind the surge:
Who’s behind Trump’s deportation agenda? The key officials leading the campaign
DOJ opens investigation into Alex Pretti shooting
Friday 30 January 2026 19:11 , Rachel DobkinThe Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday.
Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents in the streets of Minneapolis last weekend. The Department of Homeland Security has framed the shooting as self-defense.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI will be looking into the matter, which Blanche said was “standard” procedure.
“I don’t want the takeaway to be that there’s some massive civil rights investigation that’s happening. This is what I would describe as a standard investigation by the FBI,” Blanche said. “That investigation, to the extent it needs to involve lawyers at the Civil Rights Division, it will involve those.”
Georgia Fort's family and friends speak out after journalist's arrest
Friday 30 January 2026 19:52 , Bel TrewThe family and friends of Georgia Fort, an Emmy-Award winning reporter from Minneapolis, have warned that her arrest and the arrest of other journalists by federal authorities, set a “dangerous precedent” for press freedom, the rule of law and democracy.
They were speaking at Minneapolis City Hall hours after Fort, along with three others, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, were arrested separately by federal agents on Friday over an anti immigration enforcement protest on January 18, which they covered. The protest disrupted a service at a Minnesota church and heightened tensions between residents and federal officials.
Lemon has been charged with federal civil rights crime - but it is not clear what charges Fort faces.“Journalism is under attack. The First Amendment is under attack, and democracy is crumbling,” warned Harry Colbert Jr, a friend of Fort and vice president of the Center for Broadcast Journalism, who himself was arrested during protests following the killing of Daunte Wright in 2021.
He told The Independent that journalists have been arrested before, but usually by state police or local authorities.“
“Our fear is that they might try to charge Georgia with a felony for doing her job, for going to cover an event.”
He said it could have a chilling effect on reporting across the country.“ I’m scared. Other journalists are scared. We are still going to do our job, but we recognize that we are under attack.”
Fort’s 17-year-old daughter also spoke, on the verge of tears, saying her baby sisters “woke up today without a mom”.
“I’m demanding that my mom gets released,” she said. “It is wrong. This goes against her First Amendment rights as a journalist, and those rights are being challenged today.”
These calls were joined by major journalism and rights organizations, including the National Association of Black Journalists, which said it was “outraged and deeply alarmed.” The International Women’s Media Foundation called it an “outrageous violation of reporters’ First Amendment rights.”
Cynthia Wilson, president of the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP, warned that “this is a humanity issue.”
“This is as blatant as it gets. Number 47 is trying to be a dictator, and he is looking to take away all of our rights.”
Watch: Pam Bondi issues warning after Don Lemon and Georgia Fort arrests
Friday 30 January 2026 20:20 , Rachel DobkinAttorney General Pam Bondi has warned that the Trump administration is “coming after you” if you violate the “right to worship freely and safely.”
Bondi’s comments come after Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested in connection with a protest against ICE activities that disrupted a Minnesota church service, which the two independent journalists covered.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 30, 2026
Bruce Springsteen plays at Renee Good and Alex Pretti fundraiser
Friday 30 January 2026 20:50 , Rachel DobkinBruce Springsteen performed at a fundraiser in Minneapolis for Renee Good and Alex Pretti after they were fatally shot by federal immigration agents this month.
Springsteen, who recently released a song to protest immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, had the words “Arrest the President” on his guitar as he took the stage Friday, per The New York Times.
Don Lemon expected to appear in court today
Friday 30 January 2026 21:20 , Rachel DobkinIndependent journalist Don Lemon is expected to appear in court on Friday at 1:30 p.m. PT, the U.S. Marshals Service told NBC Los Angeles.
Lemon and fellow reporter Georgia Fort were arrested in connection with a protest against ICE activities that disrupted a Minnesota church service, which the two covered.
The former CNN anchor has been charged with federal civil rights crimes, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told NBC Los Angeles.
Federal government asked that Georgia Fort remain in custody
Friday 30 January 2026 21:50 , Rachel DobkinA lawyer with the federal government asked a judge Friday afternoon that independent journalist Georgia Fort remain in custody, according to The New York Times.
Fort was arrested in connection with a protest against ICE activities that disrupted a Minnesota church service, which she covered.
The lawyer said the allegations against Fort “qualify as a crime of violence.” But the judge denied the federal government’s request, and Fort was ordered to be released.
Watch: Thousands protest against ICE in Minneapolis
Friday 30 January 2026 21:56 , Bel TrewHuman rights organization calls for release of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort
Friday 30 January 2026 22:20 , Rachel DobkinAmnesty International has called for the release of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.
Lemon and Fort were arrested in connection with a protest against ICE activities that disrupted a Minnesota church service, which the two independent journalists covered.
“U.S. authorities must immediately release journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort. Journalism is not a crime. Reporting on protests is not a crime. Arresting journalists for their reporting is a clear example of an authoritarian practice.
“The arrests today of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort for covering an anti-ICE protest are a blatant attempt to intimidate others from covering criticism of the administration and its policies. The arrests also follow repeated attempts by senior officials to label people who record ICE activities as domestic terrorists.
“Time and time again we are seeing the Trump administration clamping down on free speech rather than upholding human rights. Black and Brown journalists have been particularly targeted for exercising their rights to freedom of expression.
“Make no mistake, the U.S. government’s attempts to silence the journalists are a critical threat to our human rights,” Amnesty International USA’s National Director of Programs, Tarah Demant, said Friday.
In pictures: Actress Jane Fonda outside court to support Don Lemon
Friday 30 January 2026 22:29 , Rachel Dobkin
Demonstrators across the country protest against ICE
Friday 30 January 2026 22:40 , Rachel DobkinNationwide protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown are being held on Friday.
Organizers of the mass protests had called for a “national shutdown” where people would skip work and school and refuse to shop.
In pictures: Anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis
Friday 30 January 2026 22:50 , Bel Trew
Comedian's shows canceled in Minnesota after he made fun of Renee Good's death
Friday 30 January 2026 23:20 , Eric GarciaComedian Ben Bankas' shows were canceled at a small club in Minnesota after he made fun of Renee Good's death.
Laugh Camp Comedy Club said the shows, scheduled for Friday and this weekend, were canceled because of “heightened threats, increasing media attention and civil disorder.”
“The people in Minnesota who are normal and are good people deserve to f***ing laugh,” Bankas said, reacting to his shows being canceled during a stand-up routine posted on Facebook Thursday. “It’s cathartic to laugh at some f***ed up s***.”
The Independent has reached out to Bankas for comment.
Jane Fonda speaks out against Don Lemon arrest
Friday 30 January 2026 23:40 , Rachel DobkinActress Jane Fonda, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, said outside a federal courthouse in Los Angeles on Friday in support of independent journalist Don Lemon, “They arrested the wrong Don.”
Lemon was arrested in connection with a protest against ICE activities that disrupted a Minnesota church service, which he covered.
“Don Lemon is a professional journalist. He and his producer were doing their job, nothing more, nothing less. And he’s been arrested, and they’ll make up all kinds of defamatory things to say about him,” Fonda said. “We can’t fall for it. We have to speak up. When a red line is crossed like this, we cannot be silent.”
GOP senator rips Trump response to Alex Pretti’s killing by feds in Minneapolis: ‘Stock going down?!’
Saturday 31 January 2026 00:00 , Eric GarciaRepublican Sen. Thom Tillis pushed back on President Donald Trump’s characterization of Alex Pretti as an “insurrectionist” and “agitator,” saying that he wanted the investigation to play out.
Trump posted on Truth Social about a video filmed 11 days before Customs and Border Protection officials in Minneapolis shot and killed Pretti. The video showed Pretti kicking an Immigration and Customs Enforcement SUV, breaking its taillight before being tackled to the ground.
“Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” Trump posted on Truth Social Friday morning. “It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!”
Tillis, who is retiring at the end of the year, said that there was evidence that Pretti likely agitated.
“If you look at the video the week before, he was agitating, by definition,” he told The Independent. “You don't go in and kick anybody's car, let alone a truck full of ICE agents, and not view that as an agitating event.”
At the same time, he criticized Trump for saying Pretti’s “stock” went down.
“Stock going down?! My God, we're talking about a man who died on the street, which, you know, we'll let the investigation come out,” the Republican said. “It's just no place for that. I don't think the American people are going to like that. “
Read on...
GOP pol rips Trump response to Pretti killing in Minneapolis: ‘Stock going down?!’
Analysis: Kristi Noem would’ve been fired over Minnesota in the first Trump White House. Here’s who may have saved her
Saturday 31 January 2026 00:30 , Andrew FeinbergIf embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is penning any thank-you notes to express her gratitude for not having been summarily sacked this week after plunging the Trump administration into crisis over Minneapolis, she might want to start with Michael Flynn.
Flynn is the disgraced former U.S. Army general who served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser for a whopping 22 days at the outset of Trump’s first term eight years ago.
A conspiracy theorist and uber-Trump loyalist, Flynn lost his job three weeks into Trump’s presidency after it became known that he’d lied to both the FBI and then-vice president Mike Pence about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.
Amid a torrent of negative press and questions about his campaign’s alleged ties to the Russian government’s efforts to help him win the 2016 presidential race, Trump fired the retired military officer in a futile effort to put the story to bed. It became one of his biggest regrets from his first stint in the White House.
Read on...
The surprising figure who may have saved Kristi Noem from being fired
Trump praises border czar
Saturday 31 January 2026 14:32 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump shared a Truth Social post late Friday praising border czar Tom Homan just days after sending him to Minnesota, where he now oversees ICE operations.
Trump wrote: “Border Czar (Plus!) Tom Homan is doing a FANTASTIC JOB. He is one of a kind. Thank you Tom!!!”
Homan said Thursday “massive changes” are coming to Minnesota, which includes plans to reduce the number of federal agents in the area.
‘We’re here to demoralize’: The Minneapolis residents tracking Trump ICE agents’ every move
Saturday 31 January 2026 14:52 , Bel TrewWearing sunglasses and a scarf obscuring his face, the armed ICE agent gets out of the SUV, approaches the vehicle and tells the activists that if they keep tailing him, they will be arrested.
“This is going to be your very last warning,” he says, as a fellow agent, his face also covered, begins filming us on his phone.
“You are impeding our operation,” he continues, adding as an apparent afterthought, “and traffic.”
Unperturbed, Will Stancil, 40, a local civil rights lawyer, responds calmly: “I have a constitutional right to follow you. I am not impeding the traffic.”
Stancil is among a growing network of “ICE commuters”, a large volunteer network of ordinary citizens in Minneapolis. They have given up weeks of their lives to patrol the streets and monitor the behaviour of federal law enforcement, as a crackdown grows increasingly deadly.
Keep reading:
'ICE Out of Everywhere' protest planned in Boston today
Saturday 31 January 2026 15:03 , Katie HawkinsonProtesters will gather in downtown Boston today for an “ICE Out of Everywhere” rally, according to NBC Boston.
The protest will be one of many “ICE Out of Everywhere” events planned nationwide this weekend.
Protesters in Boston are reportedly calling on local and state officials to end cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The organizers told NBC Boston the rally will focus on community protection, nonviolent resistance and mutual aid.
Demonstrations have been ongoing in Boston and other cities nationwide after federal immigration agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in separate incidents earlier this month.
Hundreds of 'ICE Out of Everywhere' protests planned nationwide
Saturday 31 January 2026 15:16 , Katie HawkinsonMore than 300 “Ice Out of Everywhere” protests are expected across the U.S. today, according to 50501, a national grassroots organization.
“ICE has been ravaging our communities and targeting civilians, but every time they invade a community, we will keep teaching them the same lessons: that there are more of us than there are of them, and that We the People have the power,” said Logan Keith, a veteran and the organization’s communications coordinator.
Outrage is growing nationwide after federal agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in separate incidents this month in Minneapolis.
As officials disparage Pretti and Good, families of Black people killed by police have déjà vu
Saturday 31 January 2026 15:28 , Aaron MorrisonThe shooting deaths of white protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis followed a playbook that is painfully familiar to Black Americans: Authorities quickly moved to disparage the victims, only to be contradicted as more evidence emerged.
Black families who have lost loved ones to police violence said the killings in Minnesota have brought back painful memories of their own fights for justice as law enforcement agencies spun up narratives to suggest officers had no other choice but to kill their relatives.
Keep reading:
As officials disparage Pretti and Good, families of Black people killed by police have déjà vu
Protest erupts in Milan over role of ICE in Olympic Games
Saturday 31 January 2026 15:35 , Katie HawkinsonA protest has erupted in Milan today after the U.S. announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be present at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
This comes after Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said the agents are “not welcome” at the event.
Democrats predict a surge in donations after anger over ICE raids: ‘They won’t be able to spend all the money in the midterms’
Saturday 31 January 2026 15:45 , Graig GraziosiThe fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis have reportedly not only outraged key Democratic donors, but also spurred them on to give more, according to a new report.
Keep reading:
Democrats predict a surge in donations after anger over ICE raids
Arrests made in downtown LA following day of peaceful protests
Saturday 31 January 2026 16:00 , Katie HawkinsonFollowing a day of peaceful protests in downtown Los Angeles, demonstrators clashed with police late Friday, leading to multiple arrests, according ABC 7.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at least five people were taken into custody.
"That just hurts the city. That does not impact the administration in any kind of way that is going to bring about any type of change," she said.
Analysis: Kristi Noem would’ve been fired over Minnesota in the first Trump White House. Here’s who may have saved her
Saturday 31 January 2026 16:09 , Andrew FeinbergIf embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is penning any thank-you notes to express her gratitude for not having been summarily sacked this week after plunging the Trump administration into crisis over Minneapolis, she might want to start with Michael Flynn.
Keep reading:
The surprising figure who may have saved Kristi Noem from being fired
Watch: Thousands protest against ICE in Minneapolis
Saturday 31 January 2026 16:30 , Katie HawkinsonThe Independent’s Bel Trew reported from the streets of Minneapolis Friday as thousands of protesters marched through the city.
Watch below:
Trump shares opinion polling on Pretti killing
Saturday 31 January 2026 16:42 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump has shared a new survey from Harper Polling, indicating his approval rating is high among likely voters following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
The survey revealed that 92 percent of likely Trump GOP voters approve of the president, while 81 percent approve of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“The people of our once again great Country want Law, Order, and Justice,” Trump wrote.
But Trump’s overall approval rating remains just above 40 percent, according to The New York Times’ daily polling average.
Judge denies Minnesota's attempt to block Operation Metro Surge
Saturday 31 January 2026 16:48 , Katie HawkinsonA federal judge has denied a request by Minnesota officials to temporarily block the influx of federal immigration agents to the state.
Operation Metro Surge has brought thousands of federal agents to Minnesota and Minneapolis in recent weeks.
Judge Katherine Menendez ruled that state officials have not adequately shown that the surge of federal agents violated the Constitution.
“A proclamation that Operation Metro Surge has simply gone ‘so far on the other side of the line’ is a thin reed on which to base a preliminary injunction,” she wrote.
Buttigieg slams federal immigration agents in Fox News interview
Saturday 31 January 2026 17:00 , Katie HawkinsonFormer Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized federal immigration agents during an interview with Fox News Saturday.
“I think Americans want and expect that we will have a secure border, understand that we have immigration laws, and that those immigration laws have to be enforced,” Buttigieg said. “But what we're seeing is not that. What we are seeing is that the people who are supposed to be enforcing the law are breaking the law.”
“It has been held in court that they have violated countless court orders, and the people they are going after are not, increasingly and proportionally, not just the person we can all agree needs to be deported and dealt with, somebody with a criminal record,” he added.
In pictures: Protesters clash with police in LA
Saturday 31 January 2026 17:15 , Katie HawkinsonProtesters clashed with police in downtown Los Angeles late Friday, following a day of peaceful protesting, ABC 7 reports.
At least five people were detained as a result, the mayor has said.
‘Agents are at my door right now’: Journalist goes live as FBI arrives to arrest her over Minnesota church protest
Saturday 31 January 2026 17:35 , Owen Scott & Bel TrewJournalist Georgia Fort was apparently arrested on a social media live stream by FBI agents at 6.30 am this morning, over charges related to a protest in Minnesota.
Fort was one of several journalists who filmed a demonstration at Cities Church in St Paul's on January 18, which saw protestors interrupting a service and chanting, “ICE OUT.”
Her arrest follows that of Don Lemon, the former CNN star, who has also been taken into custody in connection with the protest, which had been organized to show opposition to Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
Keep reading:
Journalist goes live as FBI arrests her over Minnesota church protest
Full story: Judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge as a lawsuit proceeds
Saturday 31 January 2026 17:51 , Associated PressA federal judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota and the Twin Cities as a lawsuit over it proceeds.
Read the full story below:
Judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge as a lawsuit proceeds
Most Minnesotans say Renee Good and Alex Pretti shootings were unjustified: poll
Saturday 31 January 2026 18:10 , Katie HawkinsonThe majority of Minnesota voters believe federal immigration agents were not justified in killing Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this month, a new poll reveals.
About 61 percent of voters believe the fatal shooting of Good was not justified, while 65 percent of voters said the same about Pretti, according to a KSTP/SurveyUSA poll.
Meanwhile, just 27 percent of voters said agents were justified in killing Good, while 16 percent said they were justified in killing Pretti.
Second day of protests planned in Minneapolis
Saturday 31 January 2026 18:30 , Bel Trew in MinneapolisA second day of protests has been called across Minneapolis and around the country after thousands took to the streets on Friday, and students nationwide staged walkouts, demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two US citizens.
President Donald Trump has deployed 3,000 federal officers to the Minneapolis area, in a promised immigration drive.
The heavily armed ICE agents, patrolling the streets in tactical gear, now represent a force five times the size of the Minneapolis Police Department. The deployment and violence has sparked outrage across the country.
On Friday, the center of the Midwestern city was brought to a standstill as thousands of protesters chanted “ICE OUT”, voiced support for the immigrant community while many businesses shuttered their doors heeding a call for a nationwide strike. Similar actions were taken across the country, with organizers saying that as many as 250 demonstrations took place across 46 states and major cities.
On Saturday, under the banner “March for the Martyrs,” more demonstrators are expected to flood the streets.
Somali-American student speaks out during anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis
Saturday 31 January 2026 18:45 , Bel Trew in MinneapolisAt Friday’s rallies, Muna, 20, a Somali-American student born and raised in the U.S. said the administration was trying to isolate and push out her community, who were increasingly scared.
Despite having legal paperwork and even passports, manywere refusing to leave their homes in case they are seized by immigration agents, she added.
“We belong here too, as you can see the people of Minneapolis agree with me,” she said as thousands of people marched behind her.
“Trump has it in for Somali Americans, Especially here in Minneapolis. But immigrants make what Minneapolis is today.
“I don’t know anything else but America and he keeps trying to tell me I’m not American. But these protests here today show us that we are.”
Immigrant who was being pursued by agents ahead of Alex Pretti shooting speaks out
Saturday 31 January 2026 19:14 , Katie HawkinsonFederal agents were reportedly searching for Jose Huerta-Chuma, an immigrant from Ecuador, when they shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this month.
Now, Huerta-Chuma has spoken out in his first public interview since the incident. He told CBS News he hid inside a local business as the shooting happened.
"I think, maybe if I hadn't gone to that place, or I don't know, a little later or a little earlier, I mean, that never would have happened," he told CBS News.
"I do feel guilty, I do feel bad. I saw stories about the man and I saw a very good person,” he added.
Gregory Bovino made disparaging remarks about prosecutor’s Jewish faith, report says
Saturday 31 January 2026 19:30 , Katie HawkinsonU.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino mocked a Jewish prosecutor’s faith during a recent phone call, a new report claims.
Keep reading:
Gregory Bovino made disparaging remarks about prosecutor’s Jewish faith, report says
ICYMI: Don Lemon pleads not guilty to federal charges over Minnesota church protest
Saturday 31 January 2026 19:50 , Katie HawkinsonFormer CNN journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges related to his coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church.
Read more:
Don Lemon pleads not guilty to federal charges over Minnesota church protest
Kristi Noem provides few details on body camera footage of Alex Pretti
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:05 , Katie HawkinsonWhen asked about the body camera footage of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem provided few details today.
“There's a lot of discussion going on with that. The FBI is leading the investigation, and as that goes forward, that will be at their discretion,” Noem said at a press conference.
‘We’re here to frustrate and demoralize’: The locals in Minneapolis tracking Trump’s ICE agents’ every move
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:15 , Katie HawkinsonMemorial bike rides planned for Alex Pretti
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:16 , Katie HawkinsonHundreds of memorial bike rides have been planned across the U.S. to honor Alex Pretti, who was a nurse and avid cyclist, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Resident Chase Hardin called the memorial bike ride in Minneapolis “beautiful.”
“We probably have 1,000 people here to recognize a moment of solidarity,” he told the Star Tribune.
Breaking news: Judge quotes Bible and Thomas Jefferson as he orders release of 5-year-old and father detained by ICE
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:20 , Alex WoodwardA federal judge has ordered the release of a five-year-old boy and his father who were detained by federal immigration agents from their driveway in suburban Minneapolis and sent to a detention center in Texas.
In his ruling on Saturday, District Judge Fred Biery delivered a brutal assessment of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign and an “ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas” that appears to require “traumatizing children.”
Keep reading:
Judge quotes Bible and Thomas Jefferson as he orders release of 5-year-old from ICE
Minneapolis mayor 'disappointed' after federal judges declines to block surge of federal agents
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:45 , Katie HawkinsonMinneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he’s “disappointed” after a federal judge declined Minnesota officials’ request to temporarily block the surge of federal immigration agents in the area.
“Of course, we’re disappointed. This decision doesn’t change what people here have lived through — fear, disruption, and harm caused by a federal operation that never belonged in Minneapolis in the first place,” Frey wrote in a statement.
“This operation has not brought public safety. It’s brought the opposite and has detracted from the order we need for a working city. It’s an invasion, and it needs to stop,” he added.
San Francisco bakery sells anti-ICE cookies
Saturday 31 January 2026 20:55 , Katie HawkinsonDevil’s Teeth Bakery, located in San Francisco, is selling anti-ICE cookies and sending the proceeds to the Minnesota Community Action Network, according to local outlet KTVU.
Some cookies read “F*** ICE,” while others have “ICE” crossed out in red ink.
They’ve sold hundreds of cookies since first introducing them, owner Hilary Passman told KTVU.
"We’re going to keep doing this as long as ICE is killing people," she said.
In pictures: Anti-ICE protesters hold rally in Boston
Saturday 31 January 2026 21:04 , Katie Hawkinson
Minneapolis protester speaks out against Trump administration
Saturday 31 January 2026 21:15 , Bel Trew in MinneapolisOn Saturday, under the banner “March for the Martyrs,” more demonstrators are flooding the streets of Minneapolis.
The fliers for the march urge Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, who have both criticised the Trump administration’s actions, to take firmer action.
“We want this executive overreach out of our state and out of the country. We are calling for protests and nationwide strikes if they keep this kidnapping up,” said a member of 50501 grassroots protest group that is backing Saturday’s demonstration. He asked to remain anonymous.
Like other Minnesotans interviewed by The Independent, he said he believes it is not about immigration, but rather about punishing states and cities that have shown strong anti-Trump protests. Minneapolis was the epicenter of nationwide rallies during Trump’s first term in office, following the 2020 killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes.
“Our message is that we are not going to back down. We are not going to give in. We are not going to play by your rules if you keep attacking us,” he added, warning that other states where ICE agents were being deployed could face similar crackdowns.
Lawmakers calls for investigation into charges against Don Lemon
Saturday 31 January 2026 21:26 , Katie HawkinsonRepresentative Robert Garcia, a Democrat and ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, is calling for an investigation into the charges against Don Lemon, according to a letter obtained by journalist Jim Acosta.
Lemon, a former CNN journalist, pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges related to his coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church. Independent journalist Georgia Fort was also charged.
“I call upon the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General to investigate the DOJ’s decision to charge and arrest Mr. Lemon after a federal magistrate judge already rejected federal prosecutors’ bid to charge him for reporting on a protest inside a church, which was upheld by both the district and circuit courts, as well as the DOJ’s decision to target Ms. Fort for the same,” Garcia wrote.
Trump instructs federal agents to be 'very forceful' as they protect federal property amid protests
Saturday 31 January 2026 21:45 , Katie HawkinsonPresident Donald Trump said he instructed federal agents to be “very forceful” in their protection of federal property as protesters rally in several cities across the U.S. this weekend.
He added that the DHS will stay away from these cities unless local leaders request help.
“I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
“We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists. Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property,” he added.
Democrats predict a surge in donations after anger over ICE raids: ‘They won’t be able to spend all the money in the midterms’
Saturday 31 January 2026 22:03 , Graig GraziosiThe fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis have reportedly not only outraged key Democratic donors, but also spurred them on to give more, according to a new report.
Keep reading:
Democrats predict a surge in donations after anger over ICE raids
Demonstrators in Milan protest ICE unit at Winter Olympics
Saturday 31 January 2026 22:24 , Katie HawkinsonHundreds of people gathered in Milan to protest the presence of ICE agents at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Read here:
What did a federal judge say in his order to release Liam Conejo Ramos?
Saturday 31 January 2026 22:45 , Alex Woodward & Katie HawkinsonA federal judge has ordered ICE to release five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father after they were detained last week in Minneapolis.
The judge condemned the administration’s apparent “ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence” and Thomas Jefferson’s warnings against “a would-be authoritarian king over our nascent nation.”
He signed his three-page order with a now-viral image of Liam standing in his frozen driveway wearing a Spider-Man backpack and blue cap that has fueled outrage against the president’s anti-immigration agenda. Judge Biery also listed two Bible verses below it: Matthew 19:14 and John 11:35.
The verse from Matthew states roughly that “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” while the verse from John is “Jesus wept.”
Read the full story below:
Judge quotes Bible and Thomas Jefferson as he orders release of 5-year-old from ICE
ICYMI: Judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge as a lawsuit proceeds
Saturday 31 January 2026 23:00 , Katie HawkinsonA federal judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota and the Twin Cities as a lawsuit over it proceeds.
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Judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge as a lawsuit proceeds
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
