(MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA) — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a woman on January 7, 2026, during what federal officials described as a large-scale immigration crackdown in South Minneapolis.
The Shooting and Immediate Aftermath
Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokeswoman, confirmed that an ICE officer shot the woman in her vehicle in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis. DHS later confirmed the woman had died from her injuries.
Witnesses reported the woman was shot while in her car at the intersection of East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, and the vehicle then crashed into a parked car. A bullet hole was visible in the driver-side windshield.
“One of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them—an act of domestic terrorism. An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers,” an ICE official statement provided to FOX 9 said.
Representative Soren Stevenson reported that the victim may have been a volunteer “observer” documenting ICE activity. No federal agency identified the woman in the statements described.
State Senator Omar Fateh reported allegations that a doctor at the scene was “denied the ability to provide lifesaving CPR” by federal agents; that claim is under investigation.
Protests and Local Reaction
Protesters gathered at the scene after the shooting, chanting anti-ICE slogans. The death intensified an already volatile standoff between federal authorities and local officials.
- Mayor Jacob Frey demanded ICE leave the city immediately, writing on social media:
“The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.” -
Governor Tim Walz called for calm while criticizing the surge as a “show for the cameras.” Walz said Minnesota is “under assault” by federal enforcement tactics that separate families.
Local officials focused on the broader impact of the crackdown and urged federal authorities to leave; Frey’s demand became a flashpoint in the dispute.
The Federal Operation: Scope and Targets
DHS characterized the action as its “largest immigration operation ever.” Federal authorities said the surge involved:
| Item | Number |
|---|---|
| Total federal agents deployed to Minneapolis–St. Paul area | 2,000 |
| Enforcement and removal officers | 1,500 |
| Arrests reported in Minnesota during the current surge | more than 1,000 |
| Arrests in Minneapolis on Monday, January 5, 2026 | 150 |
DHS has said the operation targets alleged fraud, human smuggling and unlawful employment practices, and it has specifically focused on the region’s Somali-American community.
Leading up to the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the surge was necessary because of “fraudulent and abuse of programs” and that officers were removing “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” according to dhs.gov.
Community Impact and Reports of Harassment
The enforcement surge has produced sharp fear in the Twin Cities, particularly among Somali-American residents and refugee communities, according to community groups tracking the operation.
Organizations reporting increased targeting and community concern include:
- Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN)
- Immigration Defense Network
They reported:
– A sharp increase in harassment
– More traffic stops by federal agents
– Door-to-door fraud investigations
Federal officials have framed the Minneapolis operation as a forceful response to fraud and other alleged criminal activity, while local leaders say the presence of ICE and other federal personnel is destabilizing neighborhoods and separating families.
Conflicting Narratives About the Shooting
DHS and ICE have pointed to violence at the scene to justify the shooting, describing the incident as a defensive action during a confrontation involving a vehicle. The ICE statement provided to FOX 9 described “violent rioters” and said the driver attempted to run over officers.
Local officials and community members, by contrast, emphasized the broader consequences of the crackdown and called for federal withdrawal. The clash has played out as federal authorities press a broad enforcement operation across the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and state leaders question the tactics and public messaging around it.
Official Sources and Ongoing Coverage
- DHS newsroom updates: https://www.dhs.gov/news
- ICE press releases: https://www.ice.gov/newsroom
- Minneapolis official updates: https://www.minneapolismn.gov
As tensions rose in South Minneapolis after the shooting, the incident became a defining moment for a crackdown that federal officials described in sweeping terms and local leaders described as chaos that has unsettled immigrant and refugee communities.
A fatal shooting by an ICE agent during a massive immigration surge in Minneapolis has ignited a fierce conflict between federal and local authorities. While ICE claims the shooting was a defensive action against a vehicle attack, local officials describe the 2,000-agent operation as a destabilizing assault on the community. Investigations are now focusing on the victim’s identity and allegations of denied medical care.
