Former President Bill Clinton warned Americans that they could “never” regain their freedoms if they accept federal immigration raids and the use of force following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, including the weekend death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
Clinton made this statement after U.S. Border Patrol agents shot and killed Pretti, 37, on Saturday, January 24, during a confrontation in south Minneapolis. The incident was captured in multiple videos and led to renewed protests. Federal officials claimed that Pretti approached officers with a handgun and resisted arrest, while witnesses and news reports mentioned video showing him holding a phone as agents moved in.
“Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come,” Clinton wrote in the statement posted online. “This is one of them.” He added, “If we give our freedoms away after 250 years, we might never get them back.”
Clinton stated that the events happening in Minneapolis and other communities were ones he “never thought would take place in America.” He described how people, including children, were taken “from their homes, workplaces, and the street by masked federal agents.” He also mentioned that those documenting law enforcement actions were arrested and that peaceful observers faced force.
Clinton referred to both Pretti’s death and the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, also 37, who was fatally shot in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. Federal officials said the officer acted in self-defense, while a lawsuit from Good’s family is expected to challenge legal limits on federal immunity and standards for using force.
Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them. pic.twitter.com/fr4TclLBZd
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) January 25, 2026
Although Clinton did not name President Donald Trump or Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in his statement, he accused “the people in charge” of misleading the public and escalating tactics. He criticized attempts to limit local oversight, saying that authorities were telling Americans not to trust their own eyes. “All of this is unacceptable and should have been avoided,” Clinton wrote.
The statement concluded with a call for civic engagement. Clinton urged those who believe in the promise of American democracy to stand up and speak out. He emphasized that the country still belongs to “We the People.”
Pretti’s death drew criticism from family members and local residents who described him as a caregiver and neighbor, according to the Associated Press. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that the shooting is under review, and Minnesota officials have sought greater access to evidence and transparency regarding federal operations in the city.
Clinton’s intervention brings a former president into an escalating national debate over immigration enforcement tactics and accountability after two high-profile killings in Minneapolis within the same month.
Former President Obama also released a statement on social media, stating that: “The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.”
Obama also criticized ICE tactics and agreed with Americans angry with the federal immigration enforcement tactics.
“For weeks now, people across the country have been rightly outraged by the spectacle of masked ICE recruits and other federal agents acting with impunity and engaging in tactics that seem designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger the residents of a major American city.”
