Minneapolis Federal Officers to Implement Body Cameras Amid Controversy

Tue Feb 03 2026 14:44:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In response to recent incidents and public outcry, federal immigration officers in Minneapolis will begin using body cameras immediately, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that federal immigration officers in Minneapolis will begin using body cameras immediately, following community backlash over recent fatal incidents involving federal agents. The decision comes amidst claims of excessive force by agents during immigration enforcement actions. Efforts to enhance transparency and accountability have been emphasized, as investigations continue into the deaths of citizens linked to federal enforcement actions.

Federal immigration agents deployed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will soon receive body cameras, as stated by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The announcement comes as the government faces a backlash over the deaths last month of two US citizens - Alex Pretti and Renee Good - following a surge of federal immigration officers into the Minneapolis area as part of an immigration crackdown.

Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X on Monday.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has ruled Pretti's 24 January death a homicide. Homicide refers to the killing of a person by another person. It does not necessarily signify that a crime has occurred.

Monday's report by the medical examiner stated that Pretti suffered multiple gunshot wounds fired by law enforcement officers and he died in the emergency room at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. No further details were noted.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, the two agents involved in Pretti's death wore body cameras and have since been placed on leave, while the US Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the case.

Noem noted that once funding becomes available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide.

The US is currently addressing a partial government shutdown as Democrats continue to demand immigration reforms, including body cameras, as part of any funding deal to reopen the government.

Notably, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is currently the highest funded US law enforcement agency, following Congress's authorization of $80bn for the agency last year. President Donald Trump acknowledged that body cameras generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can't lie about what's happening, stating they are beneficial in about 80% of cases.

In response to Pretti's shooting, the Trump administration removed Gregory Bovino, the US border patrol chief, from Minneapolis, appointing Tom Homan as his replacement.

Homan has met with local leaders to discuss calming tensions in the wake of the deaths, while Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Michael Frey have called for a withdrawal of federal agents from the state.

Frey emphasized that his goal remains for Minneapolis police officers to focus on local safety, expressing willingness to work with federal authorities on certain issues.

Over 3,000 federal immigration officers have been present in Minnesota as part of a federal immigration surge ordered by Trump, who promised to enforce stricter immigration policies during his campaign.