Support grows nationwide for the ICU nurse fatally shot in Minnesota as the president sent his border czar to oversee ICE operations in the area

By Louise Bonquin

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Alex PrettiAlex Pretti

Keith Edwards/GoFundMe Page

A GoFundMe campaign for Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on 24 January, has surpassed £907,000 ($1.24 million). The fundraiser, organised by Keith Edwards with an initial target of £14,600 ($20,000), was launched to help cover funeral costs, family expenses, and anticipated legal costs.

Pretti lost his life during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis last weekend. The scale of the response highlights both local and national attention on the circumstances surrounding his death, which critics have described as an execution, and has intensified debate about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics and accountability.

Update on the GoFundMe Campaign

The fundraiser’s organiser posted a new update expressing gratitude for the overwhelming response as donations continue to pour in. Edwards said he has added Pretti’s father as the beneficiary so the family can have direct access to the funds.

‘This fundraiser is intended to support the loved ones he leaves behind with immediate and ongoing needs,’ Edwards wrote on the GoFundMe page. ‘Because details are still unfolding, and to ensure the money goes to the right person, funds will not be distributed until we can verify next-of-kin and identify the appropriate family representative to manage anything raised.’

Who Was Alex Pretti?

Pretti was an American registered intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He was born in Illinois but grew up in Wisconsin, and is said to have been a devoted caregiver to patients, especially veterans.

He legally owned a gun and had a clean legal record. Family, co-workers, friends, and neighbours described him as dedicated, compassionate, and deeply committed to helping others.

‘He was patient. He answered all of our questions,’ Jean Trebus said about Pretti via USA TODAY. ‘He was a genuine person, and it was obvious that he truly cared about what we were going through.’

Trump Sends ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to Minnesota

In response to the criticisms hurled against Trump’s administration following Pretti’s death, the president sent Tom Homan to Minnesota to supervise immigration enforcement operations and handle the growing tensions on the ground.

In announcing the decision, Trump said he had spoken with Governor Tim Walz and described their conversation as a ‘very good call’, noting that Walz had requested cooperation between federal and state officials.

Trump To Consider Removing Some ICE From Minnesota

On Monday, 25 January, the White House appeared to soften its tone about the fatal shooting after its initial response drew heavy criticism and sparked demands to de-escalate tensions and reconsider ongoing federal immigration enforcement operations in the state.

‘Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America’s streets,’ Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, told the media during a press briefing. ‘He does not want any Americans to lose their lives in the streets of America.’

Trump agreed to ‘look into’ pulling some ICE agents out of Minnesota. In a statement reportedly from Walz’s office, Trump also agreed to discuss the matter with the Department of Homeland Security to help ensure that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension can carry out an independent investigation into the shooting.