Two shots, many excuses – and a state out of control

Two federal officers fired. Not one, two. Both discharged their weapons in the encounter that cost intensive care nurse Alex Pretti his life in Minneapolis. This emerges from a communication from Customs and Border Protection to Congress. Pretti was to be detained, a scuffle ensued, then an officer repeatedly shouted that the man had a weapon. Shortly thereafter, shots were fired. Two pistols, two shooters, one dead man. The assessment is based on body camera footage and internal documents. It is the second fatal deployment of immigration officers within a month.

As these details gradually become known, the White House is trying to regain control over events that have long since spun out of control. President Trump sent his border coordinator Tom Homan to Minnesota and spoke of wanting to calm the situation somewhat. At the same time, it was publicly emphasized that a major investigation was underway. In the hours after Pretti’s death, government representatives had still tried to shift the blame onto the deceased. Videos from the operation contradicted this account early on.

At the same time, the situation escalated further elsewhere. ICE officers attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without authorization. An employee stood in their way and explained that entry was prohibited. An officer then threatened to seize him. Only then did the forces withdraw. Ecuador responded with a formal protest note. The incident marks a new threshold. Diplomatic premises are considered clearly protected. Anyone who encroaches on them ignores rules that go far beyond national jurisdictions.

Legally, the situation is also coming to a head. A federal judge in Minnesota ordered that the acting head of ICE must appear personally in court. The background includes numerous arrests, disregard of court orders, and a wave of emergency motions for which the authorities were not prepared. In an unusually sharp order, the judge spoke of extraordinary violations and of the failure of milder measures. Only after a detained man was released was the appearance of the agency head again called into question.

At the same time, courts are intervening to stop deportations. A five-year-old boy from Ecuador and his father may for the time being not be removed from the country. The decision followed an operation in Minnesota that had further escalated tensions. Here, too, a pattern emerges: massive interventions followed by judicial emergency brakes. In Minneapolis itself, the situation remains tense. The governor of the state and the mayor of the city held talks with Homan. Both called for independent investigations and made clear that the city would not enforce nationwide deportation practices. The operations on the streets nevertheless continued. For many affected, the talk of de-escalation feels hollow.

What remains is a picture of contradictory signals. Two officers shoot a man. Authorities declare they acted correctly. The White House speaks of clarification while responsibilities are shifted. Courts intervene because rules are being ignored. Consulates are treated like ordinary targets. It is a system no longer shaped by control, but by reaction, justification, and damage control. And it is a condition that says more about the state of this country than any press statement.