Federal Agents Face Scrutiny Over Masks After Shooting

In the early hours of January 24, 2026, a chilling video from Minneapolis began circulating online, igniting a national debate about immigration enforcement and police accountability. The footage, analyzed by the New York Times Visual Investigations team, showed federal agents clashing with civilians on a city street. Moments later, a man was brought to the ground, gunshots rang out, and chaos erupted. The man, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive-care nurse and Minneapolis resident, was publicly executed by federal agents, according to the New York Times.

This incident is not an isolated one. It’s part of a wave of aggressive federal immigration enforcement actions that have swept across American cities in recent months. Officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have ramped up operations in cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, and New Orleans. But as their presence has grown, so too has controversy—especially over one unexpected detail: the officers' faces are often covered.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says there’s a practical reason for this. According to Nexstar Media, officers wear masks not because of COVID or the cold, but to prevent doxing—when someone’s private information, like their home address, is posted online. DHS argues that doxing has endangered officers and their families, making anonymity a matter of safety. "All ICE law enforcement officers carry badges and credentials and will identify themselves when required for public safety or legal necessity," the agency states in its official FAQ.

Yet, the face coverings have sparked fierce criticism. Detractors argue that hiding officers’ identities erodes public trust and makes it harder to hold individuals accountable for misconduct. The debate has reached Congress, where two opposing Senate bills have stalled in committee. One, sponsored by Democrats, would make it illegal for immigration officers to cover their faces. The other, from Republicans, would penalize those who dox federal agents. For now, neither side has prevailed, leaving the legal status of masked officers in limbo.

Some local governments aren’t waiting for Washington to act. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order banning law enforcement from concealing their identities while on duty. California went even further with the No Secret Police Act, which took effect on January 1, 2026. This law prohibits officers from wearing face coverings except in cases of health protection or hazardous conditions, like wildfire smoke. However, DHS has refused to comply, and the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit, arguing the state law is unconstitutional. As Richard Swanson, president of the New York County Lawyers Association, told Nexstar Media, "I get the explanation of the ICE officers that they’re entitled to do this. The contrary principle, though, is that the citizens of the United States of America are entitled to know what law enforcement personnel they’re dealing with. So which side of this debate would ultimately prevail? Ultimately, it may depend upon court decisions, and they haven’t been fully resolved yet."

Federal regulations do require immigration officers to identify themselves as officers "as soon as it is practical and safe to do so." However, there’s no requirement to provide a name. This gray area has left many wondering what rights they have when interacting with federal agents. Swanson clarifies that people can document ICE and Border Patrol activity—by writing down badge numbers, taking photos, or recording video—as long as they don’t interfere with operations. Of course, where that line is drawn can be hotly disputed and often ends up in court.

The tension on the streets is palpable, sometimes boiling over into violence or confusion. Just two days after the Minneapolis shooting, another dramatic encounter unfolded in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. According to FOX 9, Tippy Amundson and a friend were helping children get off a school bus when they noticed an ICE agent hiding behind a trash can. Sensing something amiss, they honked their car horn. Within moments, ICE agents swarmed their vehicle and detained both women.

As they were being transported to the Whipple Federal building, the situation took a sudden turn. One of the ICE agents in the car began having multiple seizures. Amundson, who had been handcuffed, quickly alerted the other agents that the man needed immediate medical attention. To her astonishment, the agents seemed unprepared for such an emergency. "They had no idea how to render first aid," Amundson told FOX 9, noting that her basic first aid skills came from her time as a teacher. The agents removed her handcuffs so she could help the stricken officer until emergency crews arrived.

After the ordeal, Amundson and her friend were detained for about an hour and released with a citation for impeding federal officers. She immediately contacted her husband, who reached out to an attorney and their state representative, Huldah Hiltsley. The incident left Amundson shaken—not only by her own detention but by what she saw as a troubling lack of basic preparedness among the agents. "I was shocked at the perceived lack of training the agents had, including basic first aid skills," she said.

These recent events have only fueled calls for greater transparency and accountability in federal law enforcement. The viral video of Alex Pretti’s death in Minneapolis, painstakingly reconstructed by the New York Times Visual Investigations team, has become a rallying point for demonstrators demanding answers—and justice. Their work, as they explain, is not to establish guilt or innocence, but to piece together what happened, how it happened, and who might be responsible. "Our goal isn’t to establish guilt or innocence. We aren’t a court of law. Instead, we establish what we call ground truth: what happened, how it happened and who might be responsible," the New York Times team wrote.

As the legal and political battles over face coverings, doxing, and accountability continue, communities across the country remain on edge. The debate touches on fundamental questions: How much transparency should the public demand from those who wield authority? How much protection do officers deserve when their jobs put them—and their families—at risk? And when tragedy strikes, who will ensure that the full story is told?

For now, the answers remain elusive. But the events of January 2026 have made one thing clear: the struggle over immigration enforcement, public safety, and civil liberties is far from settled, and the eyes of the nation remain fixed on what happens next.