{"id":27332,"date":"2026-01-26T23:06:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T22:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kaizen-blog.org\/?p=27332"},"modified":"2026-01-27T10:53:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T09:53:13","slug":"live-machtprobe-in-minnesota-wird-zum-politischen-flaechenbrand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kaizen-blog.org\/en\/live-machtprobe-in-minnesota-wird-zum-politischen-flaechenbrand\/","title":{"rendered":"LIVE: Power Struggle in Minnesota Turns Into a Political Wildfire"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Tuesday, January 27, 2026 \u00b7 01:30 CET - End of Coverage\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Pretti\u2019s Sister Criticizes the Government<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alex Pretti\u2019s younger sister released a statement on Monday in which she described her older brother as a helpful, kind person while sharply criticizing the Trump administration\u2019s portrayal of him after his death. She thanked everyone who reached her family with messages and words of support and emphasized that these positive memories of Pretti\u2019s character, work ethic, and passions truly reflected who he was. She said her brother had always wanted nothing more than to help other people, no matter who they were, and that even in his final moments, that was exactly what he was trying to do. At the same time, she referred to attempts by senior officials in the Trump administration to portray her brother as a domestic terrorist and potential attacker, despite the fact that he worked as an intensive care nurse at a VA hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen will this stop? How many innocent people still have to die before we say that enough is enough?\u201d she asked. \u201cIt is absolutely heartbreaking to hear these vile lies about my brother.\u201d Micayla Pretti\u2019s criticism reflects deep outrage over how the federal government has handled her brother\u2019s death and stands within the broader debate over the law enforcement portrayal of the incident and the political response to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DHS has suspended border patrol official Gregory Bovino\u2019s access to his social media accounts effective immediately, according to a source familiar with the matter<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\n Tuesday, January 27, 2026 \u00b7 00:30 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Withdrawal Announced, Pressure Remains \u2013 Minneapolis Forces Movement in Washington<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Minneapolis, movement is emerging for the first time in the deadlocked situation surrounding the immigration operations. As we had already learned earlier from reliable sources , Mayor Jacob Frey has now confirmed that he personally spoke with President Donald Trump about the hardline approach of federal authorities. In this phone call, he made clear that the current situation in the city was no longer sustainable. According to the mayor, Trump agreed that things could not continue this way. As a result, the first federal agents are expected to leave Minneapolis starting Tuesday. Frey announced that he will continue to push for the remaining forces of Operation Metro Surge to be withdrawn as well. Continue to the full article here \u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 22:55 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Greg Bovino Expected to Leave Minneapolis on Tuesday \u2013 Homan Takes Over Immigration Enforcement Operations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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According to a person familiar with the operation, regional Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino and several officers may leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing operation. Bovino\u2019s possible departure comes as President Donald Trump has sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota. Homan is expected to take over Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE operations there and assume responsibility on the ground. Bovino had previously been a central figure in the Trump administration\u2019s aggressive immigration offensive in cities across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 22:35 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Senator John Fetterman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cMs. Good and Mr. Pretti should still be alive. My family grieves for theirs. The operation in Minneapolis should stand down and immediately end. It has become an ungovernable and dangerous urban theatre for civilians and law enforcement that is incompatible with the American spirit. I reject the calls to defund or abolish ICE. I strongly disagree with many strategies and practices ICE deployed in Minneapolis, and believe that must change. I want a conversation on the DHS appropriations bill and support stripping it from the minibus.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 22:15 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

New Orleans Also Pushes Back Against Washington<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In New Orleans, Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on the immigration operation \u201cCatahoula Crunch.\u201d Hundreds of federal agents have been deployed around the city since December, officially targeting the \u201cworst criminals.\u201d The reality looked different. Mayor Helena Moreno stated that predominantly people with no prior criminal record were stopped, detained, and intimidated. The city experienced massive fear, triggered by raids, profiling, and practices that unsettled entire neighborhoods. Documents already reviewed showed that a large share of those detained had no criminal history. Civil rights groups called for far-reaching changes to immigration policy, some even demanding the abolition of the immigration agency itself. Repeated reference was made to Minnesota, where similar operations ended in deadly violence. Moreno made clear that this was no longer about migration or security. What is becoming visible here, she said, is a political course that divides, creates fear, and crosses every human boundary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 21:50 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Washington zieht die Leine an \u2013 Senat fordert Rechenschaft von ICE und USCIS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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On January 26, 2026, the chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Republican Senator Rand Paul, sent two formal letters to the leadership of key immigration agencies. Addressed to Joseph B. Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the letters follow directly after the deadly incidents in Minnesota and the escalating criticism of immigration operations there. Rand Paul makes it unmistakably clear that, given the extraordinarily high levels of funding allocated to the border and deportation apparatus, Congress must fulfill its oversight responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, the Senate is demanding that both agency heads appear before the committee to testify publicly no later than February 12, 2026. The agencies must indicate by January 28, 2026 at the latest whether they are available on that date. The focus is on the use of taxpayer funds, on operational decisions, and on the question of whether these measures truly serve to protect the public or have long since spun out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 21:30 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

White House Keeps Its Distance, Court Under Pressure, Republicans Uneasy - Minneapolis Remains a Crisis Hotspot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The White House is visibly trying to distance President Donald Trump from statements made by several administration officials who criminalized Pretti immediately after his death. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had described the demonstrator as an attacker, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem spoke of domestic terrorism. When asked, the White House press secretary clarified that the president himself had not used this wording. This move to create distance from Washington comes at a time when demands for a more comprehensive investigation are also growing louder within the Republican Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, political pressure in Washington is intensifying. Democratic senators announced they would not support a new funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. This increases the risk of a partial federal government shutdown later this week. The decisive factor for them is the death of Alex Pretti and the federal government\u2019s handling of the incident. At the same time, the president said he had a very good conversation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Both, he said, had signaled a willingness to work together on solutions. This marks a noticeable change in tone after Trump had previously publicly accused Walz and other Democratic politicians of obstructing enforcement operations and stirring unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, developments continue on several levels. The aviation authority imposed nationwide no-fly zones for drones near immigration operations, including around vehicle convoys. These areas are now classified as security-sensitive airspace. Violations can carry criminal and civil penalties. It remains unclear how drone operators are supposed to identify moving restricted zones when operations are not announced. In Congress, the chair of the relevant Senate committee announced plans to subpoena senior officials from the immigration agencies. A hearing is scheduled for February 12. The aim, he said, is to review the use of taxpayer funds, scrutinize the operations, and at the same time ensure public safety. Similar initiatives are underway in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all Republicans have so far reviewed the video material. A lawmaker from Wisconsin publicly stated that he had not yet seen the footage and was also not familiar in detail with the drastic statements made by the administration. At the same time, he spoke in favor of a full investigation involving both federal and state authorities. The loss of human life was tragic, he said, and required a factual clarification in an already chaotic situation. Of central importance remains the decision of Federal Judge Katherine Menendez. Minnesota\u2019s attorney general said after the hearing that the case has far-reaching significance beyond the state. It concerns the question of how far the federal government may intrude into the authority of the states. For now, only a preliminary measure will be decided, while the main proceedings continue. Regardless of the outcome, Minnesota will continue its legal fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Power Struggle With a Deadly Toll - Six Dead in the Shadow of the Deportation Campaign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The number of deaths linked to the current immigration offensive of the US government has risen to at least six. The most recent case occurred in Minneapolis. There, on January 24, 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a Border Patrol officer. Pretti was a US citizen. Federal authorities portrayed him immediately after the incident as an armed agitator. Video footage, however, shows that in the decisive seconds he was holding only a mobile phone when a masked officer opened fire. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz publicly condemned the federal government\u2019s account and described the statements about Pretti as unacceptable. Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse and legally possessed a permit for a handgun in Minnesota. The footage shows an officer removing a firearm from Pretti\u2019s waistband area and stepping back. Only then are shots fired. Pretti was already on the ground when he was fatally hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His death was the second fatal incident of this kind within a few weeks in Minneapolis. On January 7, 37-year-old Renee Good, also a US citizen, was shot and killed by an immigration officer. She had blocked a road with her vehicle and was slowly beginning to drive away. Videos show her turning the steering wheel away from the officers. Shortly before, she said she was not angry. The federal government defended the shooter by claiming his life had been in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Already in September, another fatal operation occurred near Chicago. Thirty-eight-year-old Silverio Villegas Gonzalez, a cook from Mexico, was shot and killed during a traffic stop by immigration officers. Relatives said he had dropped off a child at childcare that morning. Authorities claimed he had attempted to flee arrest and dragged an officer with his vehicle. Later released footage from local police cameras showed that the allegedly seriously injured officer was moving freely and described his injuries himself as minor. Two further deaths occurred during attempted escapes. In California, 52-year-old Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez from Guatemala was fatally injured when he ran onto a highway after an operation near a home improvement store and was struck by an SUV. Federal authorities stated that he was not actively being pursued. In Virginia, 24-year-old gardener Josue Castro Rivera from Honduras died after running on foot onto a highway following a traffic stop and being hit by a pickup truck. His family said he had been on his way to a job and was earning money for relatives in Honduras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added to this is the death of 57-year-old farmworker Jaime Alanis from Mexico. On July 10, during a large-scale operation at a farm in California, he fell from the roof of a greenhouse and broke his neck. He died in the hospital two days later. Relatives reported that Alanis had hidden during the operation and had called for help by phone. Authorities said he had never been in custody and was not being pursued. In none of these six cases has an involved officer been charged so far. The growing number of deaths, however, has significant political and legal consequences. In Minnesota, the state as well as the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul filed suit to stop the immigration operations. The cases are before Federal Judge Katherine Menendez. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said after the hearing that the court\u2019s decision would have far-reaching significance beyond the state. It is about the question of how far the federal government may intrude into the authority of the states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Monday, 01-26-2026 \u00b7 20:30 CET\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Minneapolis as a Power Test - White House Pushes for Calm, Court Decides, Fronts Harden<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Washington, concern is growing that the conflict over immigration operations in Minnesota could turn into a political wildfire. The White House press secretary said the president was determined to prevent the dispute over Minneapolis from derailing the ongoing budget negotiations. The goal, she said, was to pass the bipartisan spending package still this week to avoid a government shutdown. Talks about immigration policy in Minnesota were underway, she said, and the president was leading these talks himself. They must not, however, come at the expense of funding for government functions. Allowing funds to lapse was explicitly not desired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the decision of a federal court is increasingly moving into focus. Minnesota\u2019s attorney general made clear after the hearing how significant the case is. The question of whether the federal government\u2019s hard-line approach would be temporarily halted affects not only his state, but the sovereignty of all states. They had requested preliminary relief, he emphasized. The case would continue regardless of the outcome of this initial decision. But what is decided in Minnesota would have consequences far beyond the state\u2019s borders. They would not give up the fight, no matter how the court rules. The judge had previously made clear that at this stage she would not be ruling on the entire dispute. For now, the sole question was whether federal operations must be temporarily suspended while the lawsuit continues. This interim decision is now being awaited with great anticipation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the White House is reorganizing responsibilities. The administration\u2019s border coordinator is to become the central point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis. This moves him more prominently into the foreground of ongoing operations. The current Border Patrol commander remains responsible nationwide for his agency, but is retreating from public view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n