Tensions over immigration enforcement spilled into Michigan streets this week as demonstrators gathered in Lansing following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minnesota over the weekend. The Tuesday afternoon protest at the corner of Cedar Street and Edgewood Boulevard stretched two blocks, with participants carrying handmade signs bearing messages like Abolish ICE.
The demonstration reflected growing unrest over both the fatal shootings in Minnesota and the increasing presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers throughout Michigan. Protesters voiced opposition to immigration enforcement tactics that have resulted in two deaths in the Twin Cities area, including Pretti and Renee Good, both killed by ICE agents in separate incidents.
White House officials initially characterized the victims as domestic terrorists, but President Donald Trump walked back that assessment on Tuesday. He told reporters he wants to see an honest investigation into the most recent shooting and plans to monitor the situation personally. The shifting narrative has only added fuel to protests that continue stretching across Minneapolis for multiple days.
ICE arrests surge across Michigan
While Michigan has avoided the high-profile immigration crackdowns making headlines in Minnesota, federal data tells a different story. Numbers reported by the Deportation Data Project show ICE arrests in Michigan tripled between 2024 and 2025, with more than 2,300 people taken into custody from January through October of last year…