California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized President Donald Trump, saying the federal government must end what he called a “violent occupation” of Minnesota following the deadly shooting of a man by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
“Yesterday, hundreds of thousands filled the streets of Minnesota—marching in subzero temperatures in a PEACEFUL protest. Not the excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act the President wanted. So today, Trump made a shooting happen.The President must end his violent occupation of Minnesota. NOW.” Newsom wrote on social media, directly blaming Trump for the escalation in the Upper Midwest.
Yesterday, hundreds of thousands filled the streets of Minnesota—marching in subzero temperatures in a PEACEFUL protest.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 24, 2026
Not the excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act the President wanted.
So today, Trump made a shooting happen.
The President must end his violent occupation of…
The governor’s comments come in the wake of the second fatal federal shooting in Minneapolis this month, as a surge of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has drawn intense local resistance. A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 37‑year‑old Minneapolis resident during a targeted operation after officials say the armed man resisted attempts to disarm him. Federal authorities described it as defensive gunfire; local police confirmed the man had no serious criminal history and was a lawful gun owner.
#Internacional 🤬 Más de 6 agentes de ICE forcejearon con un hombre para someterlo, en calles de Mineápolis, Minesota, al no conseguirlo le disparan en repetidas ocasiones, la persona falleció en el lugar. pic.twitter.com/F1GrHGUnSE
— Callejero Noticias (@CallejeroPue) January 24, 2026
Newsom’s statement reflects deep frustration among Democratic leaders over the presence of thousands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota — part of a broader Trump administration effort that has included large deployments and threats to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law that could permit broader military involvement to quell unrest driven by resistance to the enforcement operations.
Just a day before the shooting, Minneapolis saw massive demonstrations despite frigid temperatures, with thousands calling for an end to the federal crackdown and demanding ICE withdraw from the city. Those protests were largely peaceful, participants said, with clergy, labor groups, and community members turning out in significant numbers.
Newsom’s warning comes amid a swirl of political and legal conflict over federal authority versus local control. Minnesota’s governor and mayor have publicly demanded that federal agents leave and that local authorities lead investigations into the shootings and broader enforcement operations.
The California governor has been among Trump’s most vocal critics on immigration and enforcement policy, previously clashing with the administration over sanctuary state policies and law enforcement cooperation. His latest remarks underscore the widening divide between Democratic state leaders and the federal government over what critics call heavy‑handed tactics in cities like Minneapolis.
