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President Donald Trump has once again put immigration at the center of the political debate in the United States and issued a direct warning to Democratic governors and mayors: they must fully cooperate with ICE, or, according to him, they will remain responsible for the "chaos" and "violence" he attributes to irregular immigration.
In a message posted on his social network Truth Social, Trump accused the previous Democratic administration of allowing the entrance of "tens of millions" of undocumented immigrants, whom he alarmingly described as dangerous criminals.
The president assured that during those years, murderers, rapists, kidnappers, drug traffickers, and even terrorists entered the country, a narrative that once again shakes thousands of migrant families who now live in fear of deportation.
Trump stated that his electoral victory and the Republican control of Congress were largely due to the promise to secure the border and carry out "the largest mass deportation of illegal criminals in the history of the United States."
According to him, that plan is already in motion and is unfolding without protests or disturbances in states governed by Republicans, where local police actively collaborate with federal immigration authorities.
The president cited states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia as examples where, he claimed, ICE has arrested over 150,000 immigrants with criminal backgrounds in the past year. For Trump, the key lies in cooperation between local and federal governments, something that, he alleged, the so-called "sanctuary cities" under Democratic control refuse to do.
In his message, the president directly targeted Democratic leaders such as Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, demanding that they hand over undocumented immigrants detained in state and local jails to federal authorities. He also called for local police to assist in identifying, arresting, and detaining individuals with irregular immigration status wanted for crimes.
Trump went further and urged Congress to pass legislation immediately to eliminate sanctuary cities, which he described as the "root of the problem." In his view, American cities should be "safe sanctuaries only for law-abiding citizens," a phrase that resonates strongly with migrant communities that fear becoming even more vulnerable.
The president's statements come at a time of heightened tension following the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old American nurse who was shot by federal agents during an ICE operation in Minneapolis. This case has sparked a wave of national outrage and strong criticism of the actions taken by immigration authorities.
Pretti died on Saturday during a protest against ICE operations, after intervening upon seeing an agent pushing a woman. Videos shared on social media show that he was recording with his phone when he was sprayed with tear gas, knocked to the ground, and subdued by several officers. Seconds later, shots were heard fired at his already motionless body.
The Trump administration immediately defended the actions of the agents and even accused Pretti of "terrorism," a claim firmly rejected by his family. In addition to the public condemnation, Barack and Michelle Obama joined in on Sunday, describing the incident as a "harrowing tragedy" and warning that the violence associated with immigration operations "must stop."
The Obamas condemned federal tactics that they described as chaotic and dangerous, emphasizing that they have already cost the lives of at least two American citizens in Minnesota so far this January. The case of Pretti, along with that of Renée Nicole Good, has intensified protests against ICE and positioned Minnesota at the center of the national debate on immigration, use of force, and government accountability.
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