Donald Trump labelled Alex Pretti an “agitator” and an “insurrectionist”in a furious Truth Social post last night.
Pretti was killed nearly a week ago by border agents during a protest against the president’s brutal immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. His death followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good.
Fury over the Trump administration’s handling Pretti and Good’s deaths has led to calls for a “national shutdown” which will see thousands of students and employees staying home from school and work.
“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,” organizers wrote on their website. “On Friday, January 30, join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping.”
Meanwhile, former CNN activist Don Lemon has been arrested after allegedly breaking federal law at a protest against ICE activities at a Minnesota church.
Key Points
- Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested over Minnesota protest
- Asylum seekers detained in Minneapolis have been flown to Texas, lawyers say
- Tom Homan admits failures after Minneapolis killings: ‘No agency is perfect’
- School leaders and lawmakers are worried about a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE
- Tom Homan says that sanctuary cities make Americans less safe...but is that actually true?
- Analysis: Judges are struggling to hold ICE accountable for dozens of violations
Woman injured in three-car pileup with federal agents
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.
White House trolls Don Lemon over his arrest
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.
Gregory Bovino says he is ‘proud’ of ICE amid chaos over the federal agency’s activities in Minneapolis
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.”
Independent readers are ditching all travel to the US...here's why
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
Watch: Donald Trump says that China won't let Canada play ice hockey if their trading relationship grows
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.
A national shutdown could see thousands of school children and workers staying home today
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.
School leaders and lawmakers are worried about a 5-year-old boy detained by ICE
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.”
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested over Minnesota protest
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.”
Why is Kristi Noem at the center of the ongoing ICE scandal in Minneapolis?
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
Noem 'should come out and say her comments were inappropriate,' says Minnesota lawmaker
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.’”
Kristi Noem says that she used the 'best information' during early media appearances about Alex Pretti's killing
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.”
Watch: Trump swats away corruption claims at Melania's movie premiere
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...
Residents of a Trump county in Minnesota have slammed his ICE crackdown
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.”
Alex Pretti had broken a rib during a clash with ICE just days before his death
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.”
One Minneapolis business owner is working 16 hour shifts so employees can dodge ICE
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.”
Asylum seekers detained in Minneapolis have been flown to Texas, lawyers say
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.
Trump skips over Kristi Noem at a cabinet meeting amid reports of him souring on her tenure as DHS Secretary
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
Tom Homan says that sanctuary cities make Americans less safe...but is that actually true?
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.
Watch: Donald Trump brushes off accusations that he fell asleep during a press conference
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.
Trump compared Minneapolis to Venezuela, Tim Walz says
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.
Bruce Springsteen releases protest song about the Minneapolis shootings
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 reshared a painting of himself conducting MAGA acolytes on Truth Social
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.
Watch: Melania struggles to describe her new film in three words
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 says Alex Pretti's stock is 'way down' after the emergence of new footage
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.
In pictures: Minneapolis pays tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti with memorials
08:00 , Rachel DobkinMinneapolis has paid tribute to Renee Good and Alex Pretti after they were fatally shot by federal immigration agents this month.
Watch: Tom Homan says 'no agency is perfect' as he does damage control in Minneapolis
07:30 , Rachel DobkinICYMI: New details revealed on liquid Ilhan Omar was sprayed with after she spoke out against ICE
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.
Gavin Newsom on Trump's immigration crackdown: 'None of this can be normalized'
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.
Democrats say they've 'seen enough' from DHS, calls for Noem to be impeached
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.
Kristi Noem reacts to video of Alex Pretti days before shooting
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.”
Hochul suggests Noem is delusional for Fox News comments
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
Recap of Minnesota events so far
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.”
Another anti-ICE protest in Minnesota will take place Friday
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.
Senate will not vote tonight on funding bills after Trump said a deal was struck
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.
Trump calls border czar Tom Homan 'terrific'
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.”
When asked about her 'domestic terrorism' comments, Noem shifts blame to Biden
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.
Kristi Noem defends comments on Alex Pretti shooting
02:40 , Rachel DobkinHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the information she shared about Alex Pretti immediately after the fatal shooting.
When asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity Thursday night whether her comments were premature, Noem said she shared the “best information we had at the time.”
The secretary added that she was trying to be “transparent with the American people.”
In an X post last Saturday, the day Pretti was killed by Border Patrol agents on the streets of Minneapolis, Noem said a person approached federal officers with a gun and that one of the agents fired “defensive shots” because he feared for his life.
Footage of the incident appeared to show an agent pulling a gun from Pretti’s waistband before any officer fired shots at him.
Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president
02:20 , Rachel DobkinFirst lady Melania Trump wants to see the “pushback” against her husband stop as President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown causes tensions to rise across the country.
Melania went on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria to promote her new documentary, a film about the days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration, which comes out Friday.
Speaking to host Maria Bartiromo, Melania defended Trump, touting his job on immigration enforcement and saying that his critics simply aren’t listening to him.
“I saw one part of the film where you tell the president, ‘Be a unifier.’ We have such division in this country. What do you want him to do, in terms of being a unifier? How can he unite the country?” Bartiromo asked.
Melania replied, “I give him my advice, and we talk about that, and we could see that the country it’s divided and it’s very hard. No matter what he says, they don’t like to listen. And what’s going on in our country now, I feel that it’s a lot of pushback, and I hope it stops.”
Read on...
Melania wants to see the ‘pushback’ stop against her husband, the president
White House and Democrats strike deal to prevent government shutdown
02:00 , Associated PressA provisional agreement has been struck between Democrats and the White House to avert a partial government shutdown, temporarily funding the Department of Homeland Security as negotiations intensify over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement.
The deal emerges as the nation grapples with the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis, reportedly at the hands of federal agents. The two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the broader legislative package, providing two weeks of funding for the DHS.
This temporary measure allows for continued debate over Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, following their vote to block DHS funding legislation on Thursday.
President Donald Trump stated in a social media post that "Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September," while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He urged members of both parties to cast a "much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote."
Read on...
White House and Democrats strike deal to prevent government shutdown
Trump says he's 'not' pulling ICE agents out of Minnesota 'at all'
01:44 , Rachel DobkinWhen Donald Trump was asked at a film screening for his wife Melania’s new documentary whether he was pulling Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents out of Minnesota, the president said, “No, no. Not at all.”
Photos of Minneapolis today
01:20 , Rachel Dobkin
Kristi Noem thanks Trump for signing Laken Riley Act one year ago today
01:00 , Rachel DobkinDepartment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has thanked President Donald Trump for signing the Laken Riley Act one year ago today.
“Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration,” Noem wrote on X Thursday. “Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country.”
Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 30, 2026
“We can never bring Laken back, but we can do everything in our power to bring these heinous criminals to justice. I am so proud of what our brave men and women of ICE have done to remove these criminals from America’s streets,” Noem added.
The bill — named after a University of Georgia student who was killed in 2024 by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant — requires the federal detention of undocumented immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a police officer or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury.
‘No agency is perfect’: Tom Homan admits failures after Minneapolis killings
00:45 , Mike BediganICE reportedly backs down on its threat to patrol the Super Bowl
00:31 , Mike BediganImmigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be backing off its threat to patrol the Super Bowl later this year.
Unnamed sources speaking to TMZ reportedly told the outlet that the Department of Homeland Security will not be sending federal agents to conduct immigration operations at Super Bowl LX, which will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8.
Full story from Graig Graziosi here:
ICE reportedly backs down on its threat to patrol the Super Bowl
Analysis: Judges are struggling to hold ICE accountable for dozens of violations. If they can’t, who can?
00:17 , Mike BediganFederal judges are calling on their colleagues to “draw and hold” the line while courtrooms are overwhelmed with cases with immigrants’ freedoms at stake, Alex Woodward writes.
Read the full analysis here:
Judges are struggling with ICE in court. Can they hold it accountable?
Watch: Batman puts Bay Area city council on blast over ICE at the upcoming Super Bowl
00:02 , Mike BediganTrump hails deal with Democrats to avoid shutdown and fund DHS
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:45 , Mike BediganDonald Trump has hailed a potential deal with Senate Democrats to avoid a government shutdown and provide temporary funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
“America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown,” the president wrote on Truth Social Thursday evening.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay. 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. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump again ends press briefing with no questions
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:24 , Mike BediganDonald Trump ended his second public event of the day without taking questions from reporters, despite the situation in Minneapolis remaining high on the news agenda.
The president spoke about addiction at an event in the Oval Office Thursday evening, along with Doug Burgum and his wife Kathryn, who speaks publicly about addiction, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy JR and Dr. Mehmet Oz.
After the event concluded, reporters were ushered out swiftly, with no time to quiz the president, according to pool reporters who were present.
Trump also did not take questions earlier Thursday at his first full cabinet meeting of the New Year.
Democrats and White House reach a deal to avert government shutdown and temporarily fund DHS
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:24 , Mike BediganDemocrats Democrats and White House have reached a tentative deal to avert government shutdown and temporarily fund Homeland Security.
The news Thursday evening comes in the wake of the death of protesters Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis.
Irate Senate Democrats previously laid out a list of demands on Wednesday, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest.
Lawyer says Alex Pretti was 'violently assaulted' by ICE 11 days before his death
Thursday 29 January 2026 23:10 , Mike BediganSteve Schleicher, an attorney for Alex Pretti’s family, has said the 37-year-old was “violently assaulted” during an incident 11 days before his death.
“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,” Schleicher said in a previous statement to The Independent.
“Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24.”
New footage of the incident, obtained by The Independent, emerged on Thursday. Watch it below:
White House responds to Bruce Springsteen's Minneapolis protest song
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:56 , Mike BediganThe White House has responded to a new Minneapolis protest song written and released by Bruce Springsteen.
"The Trump administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities — not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
“The media should cover how Democrats have refused to work with the Administration, and instead, opted to provide sanctuary for these criminal illegals."
The Boss, one of the staunchest Trump critics in music dedicated the new song to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed in Minneapolis by federal agents.
In “Streets of Minneapolis,” Springsteen hurls insults at Trump and his ICE agents’ ongoing invasion of the Minnesota city with pointed lyrics about “King Trump” and his “private army.”
Stephen Miller not at cabinet meeting, report
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:44 , Mike BediganStephen Miller was not present at Donald Trump’s first full cabinet meeting of the New Year, according to pool reports.
It comes after the senior White House advisor suggested that Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, was a “would-be assassin,” sparking intense backlash.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment about Miller’s reported absence from the meeting.
Jeffiries on Noem: 'She's gotta go'
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:10 , Mike BediganNEW: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem:
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 29, 2026
“She’s got to be put on ice permanently.” pic.twitter.com/peWEv4nYIg
Bovino addresses federal agents from Mt. Rushmore after removal
Thursday 29 January 2026 22:02 , Mike BediganBorder Patrol commander Gregory Bovino has sent a heartfelt message to the federal immigration agents he oversaw in Minnesota, praising them and sending them love in a video filmed in front of Mount Rushmore.
Bovino, who was recently demoted from his role leading the aggressive deportation operation in Minnesota, made a pit stop Thursday in South Dakota as he makes his way back to his original post in California.
Ariana Baio has more:
Greg Bovino breaks his silence from Mt. Rushmore and addresses federal agents
New video shows Alex Pretti tackled by federal agents after kicking car 11 days before fatal shooting
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:52 , Mike BediganCongressional 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.
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.
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...
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
