Minnesota Remains on Edge Amidst Growing Demonstrations and Second Death
After a tumultuous weekend, Minnesotans remain on edge this week. The weekend began with a “general strike” on Friday that saw business, schools, and other organizations close and tens of thousands of Minnesotans marching in demonstrations across the state. The situation escalated on Saturday when Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in south Minneapolis. Federal and state officials remain in a standoff over the ongoing presence of ICE agents in Minnesota and a federal judge is expected to rule on a petition for a restraining order brought forward by the Attorney General Keith Ellison and lawyers or multiple cities as soon as today.
Minnesota Political News & Updates
As we look toward the 2026 legislative session and the 2026 elections, the political landscape continues to evolve as individuals announce retirements or new political endeavors. The following are a few developments from the past week:
Washington is suddenly confronting the most serious political crisis of President Donald Trump’s second term, as events in Minnesota have collided with an already precarious government funding deadline.
The fatal shootings this month of two Minneapolis residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents have sparked national outrage and triggered bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill. Even some Republicans are now calling for a full investigation and congressional hearings. The administration’s handling of the aftermath has only intensified scrutiny, particularly around Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in urban areas.
These events are unfolding just days before the Friday night deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and several other major federal departments, including the Pentagon. Absent an agreement, a partial government shutdown would begin at the end of the week.
Over the weekend, Senate Democrats rapidly coalesced around a hardline strategy: blocking the six-bill FY2026 funding package unless DHS funding is removed and renegotiated. That approach would require the House to vote again — a major complication given that the House is on recess all week and does not return until February 2, three days after the funding deadline.
The standoff reflects a broader shift. House and Senate Democrats are increasingly demanding fundamental changes to how ICE operates nationwide. While the Trump administration has shown little appetite for altering its immigration crackdown, there are early signs of recalibration. In comments to the Wall Street Journal, President Trump said the Pretti shooting would be reviewed, and that the Minnesota-focused ICE surge would end “at some point,” an acknowledgment that the situation has become politically damaging.
Despite this, Senate Republicans are pressing ahead — for now — with the full six-bill funding package. Democrats, however, appear more unified and resolute than during last fall’s record-setting shutdown. Many believe that opposing the administration’s immigration approach is a politically winning issue, one that resonates broadly with the public.
Behind the scenes, the White House and Senate Republicans have reached out to Democratic leaders in an effort to avert a shutdown, though Democrats say no acceptable proposals have been offered. From their perspective, Congress can pass the other five funding bills and return to DHS separately. They also point out that the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill already provided DHS with tens of billions of dollars, meaning ICE is currently well funded. At the same time, a DHS shutdown would disrupt critical services such as FEMA and the Coast Guard, raising the stakes further.
Timing is now the central challenge. While the Senate is technically in session, weather delays have pushed the first votes of the week to Tuesday. Without a time agreement, the initial procedural vote on the funding package may not occur until Thursday. Any Senate changes to the bill would send it back to the House, which is not scheduled to return until after the deadline.
Democrats’ leverage is significant. A time agreement is required to move any version of the package quickly, and even a short-term stopgap measure that includes DHS appears unlikely to attract Democratic support. One option under discussion would force separate votes on each title of the funding package, though it remains unclear whether enough Republicans would support stripping out DHS funding.
Importantly, this funding package contains billions of dollars in earmarks for lawmakers in both parties and chambers, along with numerous Democratic domestic priorities in the non-DHS bills. There is broad reluctance to see the entire package stall — but the clock is rapidly running out.
House Republican leaders, for their part, show no inclination to bring members back into session early. Their message remains that the House has done its work and the Senate must act.
Looking Ahead
LHPA continues to monitor developments closely as Senate leaders attempt to navigate the funding impasse, potential shutdown scenarios, and rapidly evolving political dynamics around immigration enforcement. We will provide timely updates on legislative outcomes, procedural shifts, and any implications for appropriations, earmarks, and agency operations relevant to our clients.
