In a striking statement on national television, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has labeled a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis as nothing short of an "execution."
On Saturday, January 24, 2026, Ocasio-Cortez appeared on CNN's "Newsroom Live" to discuss the death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. She referenced circulating video footage that she said showed the incident from a close perspective. The congresswoman claimed that the event marked a critical juncture for the nation, involving federal agents and questions about American rights.
According to Ocasio-Cortez, the video depicts an ICE officer pushing a woman to the ground with force just before the shooting. She noted that Pretti approached to assist the woman, an action she said triggered the deadly encounter.
This sequence, as described by Ocasio-Cortez, rapidly escalated to what she called a fatal shooting on the street. She emphasized the gravity of the moment for the country.
The issue has sparked intense debate over the role of federal agencies like ICE and CBP in domestic settings. Many question whether such actions align with their stated mission, especially in a city far from any border.
Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that Minneapolis sits over 300 miles from the nearest U.S. border. Why, then, are federal agents operating with such force in the heart of America? This discrepancy raises alarms about overreach under the guise of border security.
Her words paint a picture of federal power run amok, with agents inflicting significant harm on citizens. She argued that those impacted were exercising their constitutional protections under the First Amendment. It’s hard to ignore the irony of security measures clashing with basic freedoms.
She also suggested that, in this instance, Second Amendment rights might be at play. If true, this adds another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation. The overlap of rights and enforcement needs serious scrutiny.
Ocasio-Cortez didn’t hold back in her critique, as seen in her pointed remarks on CNN:
There’s a second angle that appears to be circulating much closer to the incident where you see the victim, I believe his name is Alex Pretti, and immediately preceding that incident, an ICE officer had pushed a woman to the ground, and he had come over to help get her up.
"And that is what precipitated this incident. That very quickly led to an execution, a deadly shooting in the street. What we are seeing here is a momentous, pivotal moment for the United States. And I cannot underscore enough how precipitous this moment is," she continued, according to Breitbart.
Her description of the event as a turning point for the nation carries weight. But let’s be clear: labeling something an "execution" demands hard evidence, not just emotion. Without full context, such charged language risks inflaming tensions further.
Another statement from Ocasio-Cortez highlights her broader concerns about federal agencies:
ICE and CBP, what we’re seeing here, we will see, which agencies were responsible but at the end of the day, under this so-called excuse of border security, where Minneapolis is over 300 miles from the United States border, we have an unleashing of federal agents and violence, exerting a tremendous amount of violence and loss of life against the American people who are well within their First Amendment rights.
Her point about border security as a justification rings hollow to many who value local sovereignty. If federal agents are causing havoc far from their jurisdiction, it’s time to rethink their mandate. This isn’t about dismissing security needs; it’s about ensuring they don’t trample on citizens’ lives.
Ultimately, this incident in Minneapolis, as framed by Ocasio-Cortez, demands a hard look at federal power. While her rhetoric may lean heavily, the underlying issue of accountability can’t be brushed aside. Americans deserve clarity on which agencies bear responsibility and why such force was deemed necessary.
