Obama, speaking jointly with former First Lady Michelle Obama, said the killing of Alex Pretti was “a heartbreaking tragedy” and warned that it should serve as a national wake-up call.
Former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have strongly condemned the actions of federal law enforcement and immigration agents in Minnesota and other parts of the country, following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good and weeks of unrest linked to aggressive immigration enforcement operations.
In separate statements issued on January 25, 2026, and shared on their X handles, both former presidents described the killings as tragic, unnecessary, and emblematic of a deeper crisis over accountability, civil liberties, and the rule of law in the United States.
Obama, speaking jointly with former First Lady Michelle Obama, said the killing of Alex Pretti was “a heartbreaking tragedy” and warned that it should serve as a national wake-up call.
“It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault,” the Obamas said.
While acknowledging the difficult responsibilities of federal law enforcement and immigration officers, the former president stressed that Americans expect those duties to be carried out lawfully and in cooperation with state and local authorities.
“Americans expect them to carry out their duties in a lawful, accountable way, and to work with, rather than against, state and local officials to ensure public safety. That’s not what we’re seeing in Minnesota. In fact, we’re seeing the opposite,” the statement read.
The Obamas criticized what they described as weeks of alarming conduct by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruits and other federal agents operating in Minneapolis and other cities.
“For weeks now, people across the country have been rightly outraged by the spectacle of masked ICE recruits and other federal agents acting with impunity and engaging in tactics that seem designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger the residents of a major American city,” the statement said.
They described the tactics as unprecedented and cited even internal criticism from within Republican administrations.
“These unprecedented tactics – which even the former top lawyer of the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration has characterized as embarrassing, lawless and cruel – have now resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens,” the Obamas stated.
Obama accused the current administration of escalating tensions rather than imposing discipline or ensuring accountability.
“Rather than trying to impose some semblance of discipline and accountability over the agents they’ve deployed, the President and current administration officials seem eager to escalate the situation, while offering public explanations for the shootings of Mr. Pretti and Renee Good that aren’t informed by any serious investigation – and that appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence,” the statement said.
Calling for a change in approach, the Obamas urged federal officials to work with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and local law enforcement.
“This has to stop. I would hope that after this most recent tragedy, administration officials will reconsider their approach, and start finding ways to work constructively with Governor Walz and Mayor Frey as well as state and local police to avert more chaos and achieve legitimate law enforcement goals,” Obama said.
The former president also expressed support for protesters across the country, describing demonstrations as a vital expression of democratic responsibility.
“In the meantime, every American should support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis and other parts of the country. They are a timely reminder that ultimately it’s up to each of us as citizens to speak out against injustice, protect our basic freedoms, and hold our government accountable.”
In a separate statement, former President Bill Clinton echoed similar concerns, saying he never expected to witness such scenes in the U.S.
“In recent weeks, we’ve watched horrible scenes play out in Minneapolis and other communities that I never thought would take place in America,” Clinton said.
He alleged that people, including children, had been forcibly taken by masked federal agents.
“People, including children, have been seized from their homes, workplaces, and the street by masked federal agents,” Clinton said.
Clinton further accused authorities of violently suppressing peaceful protesters and citizens documenting police activity.
“Peaceful protesters and citizens exercising their constitutional right to observe and document law enforcement have been arrested, beaten, teargassed, and most searingly, in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot and killed,” he stated.
“All of this is unacceptable and should have been avoided.”
Clinton also accused federal officials of dishonesty and obstruction.
“To make matters even worse, at every turn, the people in charge have lied to us, told us not to believe what we’ve seen with our own eyes, and pushed increasingly aggressive and antagonistic tactics, including impeding investigations by local authorities,” he said.
Warning that the country is at a historic crossroads, Clinton said the decisions made now would shape America’s future for generations.
“Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them,” he said.
“If we give our freedoms away after 250 years, we might never get them back.”
Clinton concluded by urging Americans to defend democratic principles.
“It is up to all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy to stand up, speak out, and show that our nation still belongs to We the People.”
The statements from two former presidents underscore growing alarm among prominent Democratic leaders over federal immigration operations, law enforcement conduct, and the broader state of civil liberties, as protests continue to spread across multiple cities in response to the shootings and enforcement tactics.