ICE Tells Officers to 'Not Engage With Agitators' in Minnesota After Fatal Shootings

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota were instructed this week to avoid engaging with "agitators" while carrying out immigration operations, according to internal guidance reviewed by Reuters, following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during protests in Minneapolis.

The guidance directs officers to limit arrests to immigrants with criminal charges or convictions and to avoid communication with protesters beyond issuing commands. "DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS," a senior ICE official wrote in an email. "It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation."

Officers are also instructed to use megaphones and clearly verbalize each step of arrests, according to Reuters.

The shift marks a move away from broader enforcement sweeps that have drawn protests, legal challenges, and criticism in Minneapolis and other cities. An administration official said discussions about operational changes were ongoing and that no guidance should be considered final until formally issued.

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President Donald Trump has said he wants to "de-escalate" tensions in Minnesota after the shootings. "We're going to de-escalate a little bit," he told reporters on Tuesday, while declining to specify what tactical changes would occur. He also defended aspects of the administration's approach and questioned the conduct of one protester killed during an operation, calling the incident "very unfortunate."

Trump has repeatedly described protesters as agitators or paid actors. "The thugs that are protesting include many highly paid professional agitators and anarchists," he wrote on social media on January 18, later referring to them as "professional insurrectionists." The White House has not provided evidence to support claims that protesters were paid, and independent checks have found no substantiated proof.

The updated ICE guidance also signals a more targeted enforcement strategy and a shift in leadership roles in Minnesota, with border czar Tom Homan overseeing operations and Border Patrol playing a support role. Trump has insisted the changes do not amount to a retreat, saying, "I don't think this is a pullback," even as he emphasized the need to reduce tensions.

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