Minneapolis ICE killings: A moment MAGA can’t lie its way out of?

Read time: 4 mins

In brief…

• ICE official Dan Bonvino will step down from leading immigration raids across the US, following killings in Minneapolis, in an “admission” that furious protesters have won against the Trump administration in this instance.
• The News Agents say MAGA Republicans have been unable to lie their way out of the situation, with social media footage conflicting official reports on the killing.
• They say this may be an isolated incident however, with MAGA only coming unstuck this time due to the amount of evidence on social media.

What’s the story?

Listen to MAGA officials and you'll hear that Alex Pretti intended to "massacre" ICE agents in Minneapolis.

You'll be told he was a "domestic terrorist" who approached immigration officials "brandishing" a weapon.

But this simply doesn't add up when video of his killing has been shared so widely on social media, with numerous bystanders filming and uploading footage of his death at the hands of ICE agents within moments of the incident taking place.

The words of MAGA loyalists Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, JD Vance and others on the incident are failing to convince the US public of their version of events of what happened when Pretti was killed.

"People have their eyes and ears via so many mobile phones, and there are so many clips now, which is making it impossible for the administration to lie in the way that they are used to doing," says Emily Maitlis.

It was senior ICE official Greg Bovino who made the claim about Pretti's intention to "massacre" ICE agents, and following a phone call between Donald Trump and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, it has been agreed he will leave the state, and his leadership of immigration operations in American cities.

"This is actually an admission that the people have won, because they're calling out the lies," Emily adds.

"You can lie about things that are happening millions of miles away from people's homes, but when people are standing there on their own streets and filming every single frame of a shooting, of a murder, of an attack, then you can't carry on lying so convincingly."

'This was never about the gun – it was always about Pretti's phone'

Footage of Pretti's killing has been seen from countless angles in the days since he was shot dead by ICE agents – but there is one video the public has not seen, and may never see, which would likely end all speculation over what happened and what his intentions may have been that day.

That video is the one Pretti himself was filming at the time of his killing.

"ICE has taken that phone. They haven't released it, and there are answers as to exactly the sequence in which everything happened that he filmed, which will tell us the whole story, which we may never see," Emily says.

"They said he was holding a weapon – but the weapon was never the gun. It was always the phone.

"The phone that sheds light on the truth, on what is happening minute by minute, is actually far more powerful right now than a gun in the holster."

Is this the end of MAGA disinformation?

It's not just left-wing activists rejecting the administration's version of events in the latest Minneapolis killing – even Republicans are turning against its words and actions.

Texas governor Greg Abbott, (a "proper" Trump ally), has said that ICE needs to "recalibrate" following recent incidents, while Republican Chris Madel has ended his bid to become the next governor of Minnesota due to the "unconstitutional" actions of ICE agents in the state.

"It's a midterm year, and Republicans are very worried about the prospect that Trump is overplaying his hand," says Lewis Goodall.

"He is taking what should be a really positive campaigning issue for the Republicans – which is immigration – and turning it into a negative, something that the Democrats can successfully run against.

"At this moment, about this story, there was such intensity and such massive media attention, that it became impossible to live in that post-truth world and to lie."

This, however, is unlikely to inflict any long-term damage on Trump and his MAGA Republicans.

"As the phones go away, as soon as we're looking elsewhere – which will happen – all of that post truth world returns," Lewis adds.

"Maybe they spread their activity around the country a bit more. Maybe it's just a little bit quieter, maybe it isn't quite as theatrical as it was in Minnesota – but I don't believe that this is the end of the ICE tactics that we've seen.

"I just think they're going to probably try and do it more quietly, away from prying eyes, and away from the glare of the lenses of our phones."

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.