WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday.
“We’re looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened,” Blanche said during a news conference.
Blanche did not explain why DOJ decided to open an investigation into Pretti’s killing, but has said a similar probe is not warranted in the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. He said only on Friday that the Civil Rights Division does not investigate every law enforcement shooting and that there have to be circumstances and facts that “warrant an investigation.”
“President Trump has said repeatedly, ‘Of course, this is something we’re going to investigate,’” Blanche said of the Pretti shooting.
Steve Schleicher, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing Pretti’s parents, said Friday that “the family’s focus is on a fair and impartial investigation that examines the facts around his murder.”
The Department of Homeland Security also said Friday that the FBI will lead the federal probe into Pretti's death.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first disclosed the shift in which agency was leading the investigation during a Fox News interview Thursday evening. Her department previously said Homeland Security Investigations, a departmental unit, would head the investigation.
“We will continue to follow the investigation that the FBI is leading and giving them all the information that they need to bring that to conclusion, and make sure that the American people know the truth of the situation and how we can go forward and continue to protect the American people,” Noem said, speaking to Fox host Sean Hannity.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Homeland Security Investigations will support the FBI in the investigation. Separately, Customs and Border Protection, which is part of DHS, is doing its own internal investigation into the shooting, during which two officers opened fire on Pretti.
DHS did not immediately respond to questions about when the change was made or why. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was not immediately clear whether the FBI would share information and evidence with Minnesota state investigators, who have thus far been frozen out of the federal investigation.
In the same interview, Noem appeared to distance herself from statements she made shortly after the shooting, claiming Pretti had brandished a handgun and aggressively approached officers.
Multiple videos that emerged of the shooting contradicted that claim, showing the intensive care nurse had only his mobile phone in his hand as officers tackled him to the ground, with one removing a handgun from the back of Pretti's pants as another officer began firing shots into his back.
Pretti had a state permit to legally carry a concealed firearm. At no point did he appear to reach for it, the videos showed.
The change in agency comes after two other videos emerged of an earlier altercation between Pretti and federal immigration officers 11 days before his death.
The Jan. 13 videos show Pretti yelling at federal vehicles and at one point appearing to spit before kicking out the taillight of one vehicle. A struggle ensues between Pretti and several officers, during which he is forced to the ground. Pretti's winter coat comes off, and he either breaks free or the officers let him go and he scurries away.
When he turns his back to the camera, what appears to be a handgun is visible in his waistband. At no point do the videos show Pretti reaching for the gun, and it is not clear whether federal agents saw it.
Schleicher, the Pretti family attorney, said Wednesday the earlier altercation in no way justified the shooting more than a week later.
In a post on his Truth Social platform early Friday morning, President Donald Trump suggested that the videos of the earlier incident undercut the narrative that Pretti was a peaceful protester when he was shot.
“Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” Trump's post said. “It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!”
Associated Press reporters Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.
A photo of Alex Pretti is displayed during a vigil for Alex Pretti by nurses and their supporters outside VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights probe into the death of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, according to federal officials.
“We’re looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday.
Blanche did not explain why the DOJ decided to open an investigation into Pretti’s killing, but has said a similar probe is not warranted in the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. He said only on Friday that the Civil Rights Division does not investigate every law enforcement shooting and that there must be circumstances and facts that “warrant an investigation.”
The Department of Homeland Security also said Friday that the FBI will lead the federal probe.
It was not immediately clear whether the FBI would share information and evidence with Minnesota state investigators, who have thus far been frozen out of the federal probe, in an unprecedented divide between Minnesota officials and federal authorities during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The latest:
Tillis said he would continue to block on the Fed chair nominee — who he called “a great, qualified candidate” — and stood up for himself against Trump’s criticism.
“I am a U.S. senator asserting my right,” Tillis said at the Capitol.
“This proves how the separation of powers works: One senator can prevent the most powerful man on the planet from potentially undermining the credibility and the independence of the Fed,” Tillis said.
“I don’t consider that obstruction. I consider that doing my job.”
The North Carolina senator is blocking any nominee for the Fed chair until the administration resolves the prosecution of Powell.
“This process of prosecution has to end before I vote to confirm anybody,” he said.
An Illinois commission tasked with investigating an immigration crackdown that unfolded in the Chicago area last year says it’ll also examine top Trump administration officials.
An aggressive immigration crackdown in the nation’s third-largest city and surrounding suburbs triggered wide protests and tense standoffs between authorities and residents. Immigration agents fatally shot one suburban dad, among other violent incidents. Numerous lawsuits were filed.
The Illinois Accountability Commission, formed by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, has been picking apart the operation, including the use of chemical agents. On Friday, they looked at alleged incidents of officer misconduct.
The commission cannot compel anyone to testify, bring charges or force legislation but they’ll issue a final report with recommendations.
Still, Pritzker says Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and others in the Trump administration should find lawyers.
“They must still be held responsible for the killings and the damage they’ve done to our country,” Pritzker said in a statement.
Responding to a question from a reporter about whether Kevin Warsh had promised to cut interest rates, Trump said he believed “he certainly wants to cut rates -- I’ve been watching him for a long time.”
Trump said he didn’t specifically ask Warsh about cutting rates because he wanted to “keep it nice and pure.”
Trump said Warsh was “the central casting guy that people wanted” while also praising his qualifications.
“Looks don’t mean anything, but he’s got the look,” Trump said.
Despite signs of a growing backlash to his immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Trump says he thinks a “silent majority” of Americans support his push.
“Elections have consequences,” Trump said, contending that his immigration crackdowns has made cities safer. “The people want law and order.”
Trump was asked about whether he thought skirmishes between protesters and federal law enforcement officials in Minnesota were the prelude to a civil war.
He alleged the protesters in Minneapolis were “paid insurrectionists” funded by shadowy benefactors but did not provide evidence or details. “We know pretty much who’s funding this,” Trump said.
U.S. allies and partners in the Middle East have in recent days been urging restraint on both Iran and the United States, as they did earlier this year when tensions rose after President Donald Trump last threatened military strikes on the Islamic republic, according to an Arab official familiar with the outreach.
With tensions rising again amidst the arrival in the region of what Trump has called a “massive armada” of U.S. naval ships, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman and Qatar have all been in touch with leaders in Washington and Tehran to make the case that an escalation by either or both sides would cause massive destabilization throughout the region and impact energy markets, the official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic discussions, but noted that the Saudi defense minister is currently in Washington and is expected to deliver that message, which has also been conveyed by the others.
-By Matthew Lee
Trump signed an executive order on Friday establishing an IndyCar race in the nation’s capital, to be held Aug. 21-23.
“You have seats coming, you know, in front of the White House building and really expanding over 100,000 people,” he said at the signing in the Oval Office. “It’s going to be very, very important to celebrate greatness with American motor racing. That’s going to be the name of the event.”
The race is designed to be part of the America250 celebrations this year. Trump is elevating sports as part of the celebration of 250 years of American independence, including planning a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House for mid-June.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries characterized the House Republicans’ new proposal as a “voter suppression bill” to help boost the GOP chances in elections.
“Republicans don’t want a free and fair election,” he said, because they have been losing races since Trump returned to the White House.
The GOP package unveiled Thursday would immediately ban universal mail ballots and ranked-choice voting and require photo IDs and proof of citizenship by 2027 for all federal elections.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says time is of the essence in reining in ICE to prevent a government shutdown .
“I hope we can get voting quickly here in the Senate,” the Democratic leader said as the chamber opened, “so we can move forward on the important work of reining ICE.”
Action on a government funding deal struck with Trump came to a standstill late Thursday as key senators, including Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, refused to move ahead with voting.
Talks are underway on next steps ahead of a midnight deadline to fund several federal agencies or risk a partial shutdown.
“We’re looking at everything that would shed light on that day,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday.
Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, was killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, according to federal officials. He was attending a protest against an immigration enforcement operation.
The development followed confirmation by the Department of Homeland Security earlier in the day that the FBI would now lead the probe into Pretti’s death.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first disclosed the investigation’s shift to the FBI during a Fox News interview Thursday evening. Her department said earlier this week that Homeland Security Investigations, a unit within the department, would be heading the investigation.
Trump is asking the justices to allow him to put in place an executive order declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.
Lower courts have so far uniformly ruled against him.
The court on Friday issued its schedule of arguments for late March and early April. The justices are giving themselves roughly three months to reach a decision. The court generally winds up its work by the end of June.
The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed Jan. 20, the first day of his second term, is part of his Republican administration’s broad immigration crackdown.
Several civil and immigration rights groups filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Friday challenging a policy that allows federal immigration agents to enter private homes without a warrant.
The lawsuit by Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of the Greater Boston Latino Network and Brazilian Worker Center challenges a May 2025 memorandum from the acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows agents to enter private residents.
“The Fourth Amendment exists precisely to prevent government agents from breaking into people’s homes without any judicial process or oversight,” Brooke Simone, a staff attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights, said in a statement.
The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday against Iran ’s interior minister, accusing Eskandar Momeni of repressing nationwide protests that have challenged Tehran’s theocratic government. The penalties are the latest by the United States and the European Union targeting high-ranking officials over the crackdown.
The administration says Momeni has overseen Iran’s law enforcement forces that are responsible for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters.
Economic woes sparked the protests in late December before they broadened into a challenge to the Islamic Republic. The crackdown soon followed, which activists say has killed more than 6,000 people. Iranian officials and state media repeatedly refer to the demonstrators as “terrorists.”
The EU on Thursday imposed its own sanctions against Momeni, along with members of Iran’s judicial system and other high-ranking officers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to Trump’s request to pause attacks on Ukraine’s power grid for a week.
Trump announced this on Thursday, but details about the timing and scope remain unclear. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the request but didn’t specify when it would start.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism, noting ongoing Russian attacks. Despite the pause, Russia continues drone and missile strikes. Bitter cold is expected in Ukraine, worsening conditions. Talks are ongoing, but no ceasefire agreement has been reached.
Financial markets are uneasy as investors try to figure out what Trump’s new nominee, Kevin Warsh, to lead the Federal Reserve will mean.
U.S. stocks fell modestly Friday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 118 points, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2%.
Prices for U.S. Treasury bonds initially rose following Trump’s announcement, perhaps suggesting increased hopes in the Fed’s ability to stay independent, before paring back.
Some of the wildest action was again in the precious metals markets, where gold’s price swung.
Leaders from Canada, the United Kingdom, Finland and other countries have recently visited China, while more are planning to go.
Since Trump took office again, America’s closest allies are exploring opportunities with China following clashes with Trump over tariffs and his demands to take over Greenland from NATO ally Denmark.
They’re resetting relations with a country long seen as a top adversary to many Western partners and the top economic rival to the U.S. despite the risk of irking Trump. This week alone, the prime ministers of the U.K. and Finland went to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Protesters across the U.S. are calling for a nationwide strike to oppose the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
The demonstrations are calling for “no work, no school, no shopping” on Friday.
The calls come almost a week after intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was killed while recording Border Patrol officers with his cellphone.
Multiple businesses announced they would be closed during the “blackout,” while some schools canceled classes in anticipation of mass absences. Some students are planning walkouts, while others plan to gather in churches, courthouses and city centers in solidarity.
Three other people were arrested with Lemon on Friday in connection with an anti-immigration protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration.
Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.
It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon and the others are facing in the Jan. 18 protest at the Cities Church in St. Paul. Lemon’s arrest came after a magistrate judge last week rejected prosecutors’ initial bid to charge him.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.
Warsh was previously a runner-up for the Senate-confirmed post of Fed Chair in 2017, when Trump selected Powell to lead the central bank.
Warsh is credentialed with degrees from Stanford University and Harvard University Law School. He is also married to Jane Lauder, the daughter of billionaire cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder, a major Republican donor.
At 35, Warsh became the youngest governor on the Fed’s seven member board, serving in that post from 2006 to 2011. Warsh worked closely with then-Chair Ben Bernanke in 2008-09 during the central bank’s efforts to combat the financial crisis and the Great Recession.
Warsh has been working as a visiting economics fellow at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank located at Stanford University. He is also a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a partner at the Duquesne Family Office, which manages the wealth of billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller.
The Department of Homeland Security says that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now heading the investigation into the shooting death of Alex Pretti.
The Department said earlier this week that Homeland Security Investigations, which is a unit within the department, would be heading the investigation.
But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during an interview with Fox News on Thursday that the FBI was in the lead. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department said Friday in an email that HSI will support them.
Separately, Customs and Border Protection is doing its own internal investigation.
Homeland Security did not immediately respond to questions about when the change was made or why.
“Don Lemon is an accomplished journalist whose urgent work is protected by the First Amendment,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries on social media.
“There is zero basis to arrest him. He should be freed immediately.”
He said “The Trump Justice Department is illegitimate. They will all be held accountable for their crimes against the Constitution.”
The retiring North Carolina senator has been among a group of Senate Republicans who have rushed to the defense of current Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell after it was revealed earlier this month that the Justice Department had opened an inquiry into him.
After Trump said Friday that he would nominate former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh to serve as the next chair of the Fed, Tillis made clear the inquiry would stand in the way of any confirmation.
“I will oppose the confirmation of any Federal Reserve nominee, including for the position of Chairman, until the DOJ’s inquiry into Chairman Powell is fully and transparently resolved,” Tillis wrote.
Tillis, a swing vote on the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees the Federal Reserve and approves central bank nominees, said in his post that Warsh is a “qualified nominee,” but stressed that “protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve from political interference or legal intimidation is non-negotiable.”
Tillis’s opposition could complicate the confirmation process for Warsh and Senate GOP leaders. Asked late Thursday whether Warsh could be confirmed without Tillis’s support, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “probably not.”
Journalist Don Lemon has been arrested after he entered a Minnesota church and recorded anti-immigration enforcement protesters who disrupted a service in an incident that increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.
It was not immediately clear what charge or charges Lemon was facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week rejected prosecutors’ initial bid to charge the journalist.
Trump says he’ll nominate former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to be the next Fed chair.
Friday’s pick is likely to result in sharp changes to the powerful agency that could bring it closer to the White House and reduce its longtime independence from day-to-day politics.
Warsh would replace Jerome Powell when his term expires in May. Trump chose Powell to lead the Fed in 2017 but recently has assailed him for not cutting interest rates quickly enough. Warsh’s appointment requires Senate confirmation.
Warsh was on the Fed’s board from 2006 to 2011. He’s a fellow at the right-leaning Hoover Institution and a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Trump has signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, a move that puts pressure on Mexico.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says her government had at least temporarily stopped oil shipments to Cuba.
She says it was a “sovereign decision” not made under pressure from the U.S. Trump has squeezed Mexico to distance itself from the Cuban government. In the wake of the U.S. military operation to oust former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has said the Cuban government is ready to fall.
Trump is suing the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion, as he accuses the federal agencies of a failure to prevent a leak of the president’s tax information to news outlets between 2018 and 2020.
The suit, filed in a Florida federal court, includes the president’s sons Eric Trump and, Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump organization as plaintiffs.
Melania Trump is capping her first year back as first lady with the global release of a documentary she produced about the 20 days leading up to her husband’s return to the White House.
A private person, Melania Trump remains a bit of a mystery to the public in her husband’s second term. “Melania” premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center before it is released on Friday in more than 1,500 theaters in the U.S. and around the world.
President Donald Trump arrives for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's movie "Melania" at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
