Fact Check: Did ICE rating worsen after Alex Pretti's fatal shooting?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: The clash between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the people of Minnesota has ramped up in 2026 following the shooting of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in January.
Recently, several social media users came up with a post claiming that ICE got even worse ratings in polling after Alex Pretti's fatal shooting last month. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: ICE ratings worsened after Alex Pretti's fatal shooting
Many X users made the claim on the social media platform and wrote, "ICE gets even worse ratings in polling after Pretti's fatal shooting; majority calling for Noem's removal."
An X user also wrote, "ICE gets even worse ratings in polling after Pretti's fatal shooting; majority calling for Noem's removal. I believe she lied about the killer of Renee Good. Good turned her wheels hard right to drive off. She did not hit the agent. LIES," another X user wrote.
Interestingly, all of the X posts attributed ABC News as the source.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Administration intensive care nurse, was fatally shot by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis during protests against immigration enforcement operations.
The incident followed the January 7 shooting death of another US citizen, Renee Nicole Good, by federal immigration agents in the same city. The incident sparked widespread protests, investigations, and backlash, with agents placed on leave.
Fact check: True, well-supported by recent polling data
The claim that 'ICE gets even worse ratings in polling after Alex Pretti's fatal shooting' is true, as it matches headlines and reporting from multiple credible sources, including ABC News, which published an article with almost that exact phrasing on February 4, 2026.
However, as the claim refers to 'ICE', the shooting involved CBP agents, but public and media discourse often groups federal immigration enforcement under the ICE/DHS umbrella, especially regarding disapproval of enforcement tactics.
Meanwhile, several polls conducted or released shortly after Pretti's death show declining approval for ICE and its enforcement methods.
According to the Quinnipiac University Poll, released on February 4, 63% of voters disapprove of how ICE is enforcing immigration laws (up from 57% disapproval in a January poll), with only 34% approving (down from 40%).
Similarly, around 62% said Pretti's shooting was 'not justified,' and 61% believe the Trump administration has not given an honest account, per the poll.
As per PBS News/NPR Poll, conducted in late January and early February, 65% say ICE has 'gone too far' in enforcement (up from 54% in June 2025), and about 60% disapproved of the job ICE is doing overall.
Interestingly, these shifts are explicitly tied in reporting to Pretti's shooting, which amplified public outrage over aggressive tactics during mass deportation efforts.
Hence, the claim is accurate based on the above-mentioned polls, and no major sources contradict the downward trend in ICE's ratings following the event.
