Large-scale protests spread to Chicago as well, after the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers intensified nationwide anger over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Despite freezing temperatures, snow and icy streets, thousands of demonstrators marched through central Chicago and downtown areas, condemning the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The protests followed the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, an intensive care nurse and American citizen who was shot by federal agents during an encounter late last week. Demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of ICE and Border Patrol officers from Minneapolis, Chicago and other cities across the country.

Federal agents in Minneapolis wrestled Alex Pretti to the ground and secured the handgun he was carrying moments before shooting him multiple times, according to a Washington Post analysis of video footage.

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— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 25, 2026

Protesters are also calling for criminal charges over the earlier killing of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed in her car by an immigration officer on January 7. The Faith Over Fear Coalition urged residents of Illinois to stand in solidarity with Minneapolis, while speakers at the Chicago rallies, including Mayor Brandon Johnson, called for accountability and justice for both victims.

“We do not accept ICE storming our neighborhoods and tearing families apart. We do not accept ICE killing and shooting innocent people without consequences,” Johnson said during the protests.

The unrest comes amid growing national scrutiny of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies. Former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton issued rare public statements urging Americans to defend democratic values after what they described as the second killing of a U.S. citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis within weeks. Trump, for his part, blamed Democratic leadership for what he described as “chaos” in the city.

According to federal officials, Pretti was shot on Saturday during a confrontation on an icy roadway. Authorities claimed he intended to harm agents and said a firearm was found on him. However, video footage widely shared online and verified by U.S. media outlets shows Pretti never drawing a weapon. The footage appears to show agents spraying him with a chemical irritant, forcing him to the ground and firing within seconds.

The shooting occurred less than three weeks after Renee Good was killed in a similar incident in Minneapolis. In both cases, administration officials initially defended the officers’ actions. After senior officials described Pretti as an “assassin,” his parents released a statement accusing the government of spreading “sickening lies” about their son.

Trump escalated tensions further by accusing Minnesota’s Democratic leadership of refusing to cooperate with ICE, writing on his Truth Social platform that “Democrat-run sanctuary cities and states” were responsible for the deaths. “Two American citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat-induced chaos,” he added.

Public outrage has continued to grow. In Minneapolis, demonstrators carried signs reading “Be Pretti, be Good,” while chanting slogans demanding ICE’s immediate departure. Obama and his wife Michelle said Pretti’s death should serve as a “wake-up call” about the erosion of core American values. Bill Clinton went further, accusing the administration of overseeing a climate in which peaceful protesters are arrested, beaten, tear-gassed and, in the most extreme cases, killed.

“All of this is unacceptable,” Clinton said, urging Americans to “stand up and speak out” and warning that freedoms lost may never be regained.

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday that an investigation into Pretti’s killing was necessary. While administration officials have defended the officer involved, Trump declined in a brief interview with The Wall Street Journal to say whether the shooting was justified, stating only that authorities were “reviewing everything.” Several Republican senators have also called for a full and transparent investigation and cooperation with local authorities. In contrast, federal officials previously excluded local investigators from the probe into Good’s death.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz publicly challenged Trump during a press briefing, asking what steps would be taken to remove federal agents from the state. Meanwhile, business leaders from around 60 Minnesota-based companies, including Target and General Mills, signed an open letter calling for an immediate de-escalation and greater coordination between authorities.

The federal deployment to Minneapolis has lasted for weeks and followed conservative media reports alleging fraud within the Somali immigrant community, claims Trump has repeatedly amplified. Minneapolis has one of the largest Somali populations in the United States. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison dismissed the administration’s justification, saying the operation was not about financial crimes. “If this were about fraud, forensic accountants would be here. Instead, armed, masked men are being sent into our streets,” he said.

Since the launch of “Operation Metro Surge,” residents have organized neighborhood watch patrols, carried whistles to warn others of ICE activity, and set up support networks to deliver food to migrant families afraid to leave their homes. Violent clashes have occasionally broken out between officers and protesters.

On Friday, an estimated 50,000 people marched through Minneapolis in temperatures around minus 25 degrees Celsius, gathering in and around the Target Center in one of the city’s largest demonstrations in years. Native American activist Vin Dionne, who addressed the crowd with a traditional chant, contrasted the peaceful protest with Pretti’s killing the following day. “We showed unity and strength, and then the very next morning, ICE kills one of our own,” he said.

Eyewitness accounts and video footage have continued to challenge the official narrative. At a Sunday press conference, Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino declined to clarify whether Pretti ever brandished a weapon. Civil rights lawyer James Cook, who is providing pro bono legal assistance to families affected by ICE raids, said publicly shared videos are undermining the administration’s claims and shaping public opinion.

Anger has reshaped daily life in Minneapolis, where protesters now chant “No more Minnesota nice,” rejecting the state’s traditional image of quiet politeness. Residents describe heightened vigilance, avoiding certain streets and watching for unmarked vehicles. Many say the constant presence of federal agents has eroded their sense of safety and freedom.

Some protesters fear further escalation. Judy Levy, a nurse and volunteer ICE watcher, said she worries the administration is seeking confrontation that could justify extraordinary measures. At the same time, she expressed pride in her community’s response, drawing parallels to the protests after George Floyd’s killing.

For many, the protests are about more than immigration policy. Activists say they reflect a broader struggle over civil liberties, community solidarity and the meaning of citizenship. As Dionne put it, Minnesotans see standing up for their neighbors as part of who they are, even in extreme conditions. “If that means setting an example for the rest of the country,” he said, “then that’s what we’ll do.”