Senator John Freeman condemned the ongoing federal immigration operation in Minneapolis, calling it “an ungovernable and dangerous urban theatre for civilians and law enforcement that is incompatible with the American spirit.” Freeman’s comments come in the wake of two high-profile shootings in the city involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents.
“Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti should still be alive. My family grieves for theirs,” Freeman said, referencing Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the two individuals killed in separate incidents during federal operations. The senator called for the Minneapolis operation to “stand down and immediately end,” warning that the situation has escalated into a chaotic and hazardous environment for both civilians and law enforcement officers.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) January 26, 2026
Freeman, a pro-immigration Democrat and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Border Management, emphasized the importance of balancing strong border enforcement with humane and safe practices. “As a very pro-immigration Democrat… I believe our nation deserves a secured border and that we should deport all criminal migrants,” he said. At the same time, he stressed that there should be “a path to citizenship for those hardworking families who are here.”
Freeman previously weighed in on federal immigration enforcement following the January 7 shooting of Renee Good. At that time, he described the incident as a tragedy that “should never have happened” and placed it within a broader discussion on U.S. border security. “When we step back and look at where we brought this as a country — as a Democrat — when I arrived in the Senate back in 2023, it was clear we were failing to secure our border,” Freeman said. He highlighted that ICE encounters at the U.S. border have surged, with nearly 300,000 people involved, creating an unsustainable situation.
Democrat Senator John Fetterman on illegal aliens: “Round up all the criminals, deport them. They definitely have to go… As a Democrat, it should not be unreasonable to want to secure our border.”
— America (@america) January 16, 2026
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Acknowledging the complexity of enforcement, Freeman emphasized accountability and fairness: “We can round up all the criminals and deport them — they should never have been here and have to go — and we also should not want to see more and more things happening like what happened in Minneapolis.” He cited Washington Post statistics indicating that approximately 67% of individuals ICE encounters face criminal charges or have pending cases.
He also addressed the broader policy context, including U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. “I will never vote to shut our government down, especially our Defense Department,” Freeman said, noting that DHS currently has $178 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which he did not vote for. He rejected calls to defund or abolish ICE but criticized specific strategies used in Minneapolis, calling for changes to the agency’s approach.
Freeman concluded by calling for dialogue and reform, noting his support for revisiting the DHS appropriations bill to prevent further tragedies and ensure that immigration enforcement operations are carried out safely and effectively.
