OPINION: Dear ICE: Get Out of Minnesota!

By Luca Parlatore ‘28, Resident Editor; Edited by Kat Willson ‘26, Head Editor-in-Chief

“Aliens,” “animals,” “criminals,” and “predators” are just some of the demeaning labels that United States President Donald Trump has used to describe immigrants in his country. When these words are used by the leader of a nation, it sets the tone for the actions of its government agencies. This effect has had a widespread impact; however, certain states have been affected more than others. Minnesota, which has a migrant percentage of 8%, is among the states most affected. ICE operations in the state have moved beyond targeting dangerous criminals and instead have moved on to refugees, children, and American citizens. They have uprooted the lives of thousands, leaving families separated and communities living in fear. To protect Minnesotans and restore accountability, ICE activity needs to be immediately suspended and reviewed.

In 2003, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created by the United States Department of Homeland Security. According to the department, its main purpose was and still is “to better protect national security and public safety in answer to the tragic events on 9/11”. Recent events across the United States demonstrate how ICE has strayed far from its intended purpose, prioritizing mass enforcement over eliminating crime.

In Minnesota, numerous people who presented no threat to national security or public safety have been targeted by ICE. Three incidents in particular demonstrate the agency’s betrayal of its founding values. These are the cases of Renée Good, Alex Pretti, and Liam Conejo Ramos. On January 7, 2026, Renée Good, a 37-year-old citizen, writer, and mother, was fatally shot by an ICE agent. She posed no criminal threat – she was in her car, recording an operation on her street. Video footage of the incident quickly surfaced online, quickly shutting down the Trump administration’s claim that the agent acted in self-defence. Despite clear video evidence to the contrary, federal authorities blocked state investigators from accessing evidence and refused a criminal investigation. Less than three weeks later, on January 24, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old VA nurse, was shot ten times by ICE agents. Pretti was filming a protest and had attempted to assist a woman who had been shoved to the ground by an officer when the incident took place. He had a legally owned gun in his possession; however, video evidence proves the gun was already taken off his person before any agents fired shots.

As with Good’s case, administration officials immediately placed the blame on the victim and labelled him as the aggressor before any formal investigations had taken place. Perhaps the most alarming is the case of Liam Conejo Ramos. On January 20, five-year-old Liam and his father were walking home from his school when they were approached and detained by ICE officials. Both Liam and his father had active asylum claims and no deportation order; however, they were both sent to a detention center in Texas. A federal judge later ordered their immediate release, labelling the incident as a "perfidious lust for unbridled power". Until ICE is removed from Minnesota, tragic events like this will continue to take place, and more families will be left to suffer the consequences of an unaccountable agency and its power-hungry leaders.

As with Good’s case, administration officials immediately placed the blame on the victim and labelled him as the aggressor before any formal investigations had taken place. Perhaps the most alarming is the case of Liam Conejo Ramos. On January 20, five-year-old Liam and his father were walking home from his school when they were approached and detained by ICE officials. Both Liam and his father had active asylum claims and no deportation order; however, they were both sent to a detention center in Texas. A federal judge later ordered their immediate release, labelling the incident as a "perfidious lust for unbridled power". Until ICE is removed from Minnesota, tragic events like this will continue to take place, and more families will be left to suffer the consequences of an unaccountable agency and its power-hungry leaders.

ICE involvement in Minnesota has had a considerable impact on more than just these few individuals. The broader immigrant community is constantly living in fear of becoming one of these horror stories. They’re scared to send their children to school, they’re scared to go to work, and they’re even scared to leave their house. When citizens are afraid to exist in public, it indicates a much deeper problem. If ICE’s sole purpose was to remove dangerous offenders, then why are immigrants afraid to participate in society? The answer to this is that the agency has moved far beyond its core purpose. When an entire community of people is afraid to go about their lives, the government is doing something wrong. America was built on the values of being a free nation for all; however, the recent actions of the federal government force us to question these values. Is the United States truly a free nation for all, or just for people who support the government’s agenda?

Supporters of ICE argue that the agency is necessary for public safety and that its presence in Minnesota was essential to remove dangerous criminals. It is important to acknowledge that this is a legitimate goal and something that the government needs to act on. While on paper, this sounds favourable for all, the way it’s being executed tells a different story. ICE has been arresting and killing writers, nurses, parents, elderly citizens, and even children. The department itself states that ICE exists to “protect national security and public safety”. It is hard to believe that anyone in the previously mentioned groups would pose any threat to national security or public safety, proving that ICE is acting well outside of its jurisdiction. If the agency operated as it was intended to, Renée Good and Alex Pretti would still be alive, and Liam Conejo Ramos would never have been subject to the same treatment as a violent offender.

Americans can no longer afford to stand by and watch the very values that their country was built upon crumble. When a nurse can be shot ten times in the middle of the street, when a mother can be killed in her car, and when a five-year-old boy can be shipped across the country on his walk home from school, something has gone wrong. Minnesota’s immigrant community did not risk everything to start over in a new country just to be treated as second-class citizens. It is imperative that immediate action is taken by the people and the government to restore the core values that built the United States into the country that these people believed in. The freedom that Americans love to boast about is only worth something if they are willing to defend and protect it.