WSJ urges Trump to pull the plug on ICE in Minneapolis

Although sympathetic to Donald Trump’s plan to crack down on and deport immigrants who have committed crimes, the conservative editorial board of Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal has had enough of the assault on Minnesota by out-of-control ICE and Border Patrol agents

In a Sunday editorial, the Journal's editors acknowledged the need to address criminal immigrants but expressed alarm over escalating violence by federal agents. The most recent incident involved the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, occurring less than three weeks after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good.

Beyond these shootings, viral videos have documented masked agents physically assaulting bystanders and detaining children on the street.

The editors attributed responsibility directly to Trump. "Pretti made a tragic mistake by interfering with ICE agents, but that warranted arrest, not a death sentence. The agents may say they felt threatened, but it's worth noting the comments over the weekend by police around the country who say that this isn't how they conduct law enforcement."

The editors noted that both Minnesota Democrats and Trump had an opportunity to de-escalate tensions following Renee Good's death. Instead, Trump deployed an additional 1,000 immigration officers to a region that already had 2,000 officers. Minneapolis has approximately 600 police officers.

"Whether he likes it or not, most of the burden now lies with Mr. Trump as the President who controls ICE. He would be wise to pause ICE enforcement in the Twin Cities to ease tensions and consider a less provocative strategy."

The editors also criticized Stephen Miller's approach: "Mr. Miller's mass deportation methods are turning immigration, an issue Mr. Trump owned in 2024, into a political liability for Republicans in 2026. Americans don't want law enforcement shooting people in the street or arresting five-year-old boys. The President who said you have to have a heart in enforcement ought to show some."