Since President Donald Trump took office in 2025, there has been an increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action nationwide. As stated by the Department of Homeland Security, “In President Trump’s first year back in office, nearly 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations and more than 675,000 deportations.” Self deportations are a policy that encourages undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.
Due to the heightened enforcement by ICE, there has been a major increase in protests all over the country in states including Alabama, Washington, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Minnesota and many more. In October 2025, there was a nationwide protest against political violence called the “No Kings Protest 2.0.” This was a follow up to the original “No Kings Protest” that took place in June, which saw a huge turnout all over the country.
On Jan. 23, 2025, three days after Trump’s inauguration, the administration announced a strict immigration policy called The Mass Deportation Initiative. Throughout the year, organized raids by ICE were conducted in several cities, including Atlanta, Washington, Denver and many others. In the raid, 538 illegal immigrants were detained, according to the American Immigration Council. The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka, stated that ICE agents raided a local New Jersey establishment, detaining illegal immigrants as well as citizens, including a veteran, without a warrant.
In early December 2025, an operation dedicated to getting rid of immigrants was green-lit by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 3,000 people were arrested, and three were killed, according to Fox News. Federal Authorities said the arrests were a part of “Operation Metro Surge”.This operation ended around Feb. 15, 2026.
Renée Good was one of three killed. She was a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis who was shot fatally by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7, 2026. Authorities said Good was stopped in her vehicle when she was approached by Ross and other ICE agents. She was ordered to get out of her car as they reached her window. It was then that Ross fired multiple shots. Donald Trump later defended the agent, saying Ross acted in self-defense, was run over by Good’s car, and had to go to the hospital to recover.
Good’s death sparked more protests in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. During demonstrations, ICE agents used tear gas and pepper spray to restrict protesters. In response, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz placed the National Guard on standby. Some public schools were temporarily closed amid safety concerns.
On Jan. 24, 2026, Alex Pretti, an American nurse, was shot and killed by two different ICE agents, also in Minneapolis. Witnesses said Pretti was filming an ICE agent with his phone and directing traffic while interceding in a conflict involving another individual.
A civilian nearby had recorded a video of the entire situation, which various news stations, including the BBC and The Wall Street Journal, reviewed. In the video, an agent is shown removing a gun from Pretti moments before a different agent shoots him, while the words “gun, gun” were heard moments before ICE started firing.
Investigators later determined Pretti never reached for his firearm and all he had in hand was his cellphone.
Bystanders said several witnesses were temporarily detained and taken into the Whipple Building, a government building located in Minnesota, before being released hours later. According to Zach Schonfeld of The Hill, state investigators were denied access to the crime scene by the Federal authorities.
Once again, Trump attempted to defend ICE, but was contradicted by a video and witness testimonies. The shooting renewed the ongoing protests locally and nationally. According to Joe Walsh and Caitlin Yilek of CBS News, republicans either questioned or criticized the Trump administration’s response to the killing. The criticism went further than just Republicans, as some of Trump’s allies, like Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, also questioned the DHS’s tactics used, which called for an investigation.
ICE protests are becoming more frequent throughout the United States and are causing a massive conflict throughout the country. According to Minneapolis City Of Lakes, the city of Minneapolis experienced an impact of $200 Million after 3,000 ICE agents invaded their neighborhoods. Many were afraid to leave the house, and many others consistently called in sick from work which caused additional suffering throughout the community. The money lost represented the communities livelihood, neighbors mental health, and was vital for the economy and the food and shelter community. These effects prove ICE’s severe impact on communities around the country.
