President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. immigration enforcement in Minnesota may need “a softer touch” after two fatal encounters involving federal agents, while insisting his administration will continue mass deportations.
In an NBC interview, Trump said he was “not happy” about the deaths and that “it should not have happened,” but reiterated full support for ICE and other law-enforcement agencies. His comments came as border czar Tom Homan announced an immediate drawdown of 700 federal personnel from Minnesota.
The move follows weeks of backlash after the killings of Renee Good (Jan. 7) and Alex Pretti (Jan. 24) during federal operations in Minneapolis. Both incidents have triggered protests, legal scrutiny and demands for independent investigations.
Despite the reduction, roughly 2,000 agents are expected to remain in Minnesota under the broader enforcement campaign, according to U.S. reporting. State and city leaders, including Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, have described the pullback as a step forward but called for a faster wind-down.
Residents interviewed in Minneapolis expressed deep skepticism, with some describing the announcement as cosmetic and arguing that the operational posture has not fundamentally changed. Advocacy groups have echoed those concerns, saying trust in federal enforcement remains severely damaged.
A federal judge has already declined to halt the Minnesota immigration surge, meaning enforcement actions continue as litigation over detentions and use of force proceeds.
