'Betrays our most basic values': Biden condemns federal agents over Minneapolis killings

Biden condemns federal killings in Minneapolis

Former US president Joe Biden on Tuesday sharply condemned the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents, calling the deaths a grave violation of the country’s core values.

In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Biden criticised federal authorities and accused the Trump administration of allowing violence against citizens who were exercising their constitutional rights.

“What has unfolded in Minneapolis this past month betrays our most basic values as Americans,” Biden wrote. “We are not a nation that guns down our citizens in the street. We are not a nation that allows our citizens to be brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights.”

He praised the people of Minnesota for showing resilience and unity amid weeks of fear and unrest, while placing responsibility squarely on the administration in Washington. “Violence and terror have no place in the United States of America, especially when it’s our own government targeting American citizens,” Biden added.

The former president said accountability was now essential, calling for “full, fair, and transparent investigations” into the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

“Jill and I are sending strength to the families and communities who love Alex Pretti and Renee Good as we all mourn their senseless deaths,” his statement concluded.

What has unfolded in Minneapolis this past month betrays our most basic values as Americans. We are not a nation that guns down our citizens in the street. We are not a nation that allows our citizens to be brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights. We are not a…

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 27, 2026

Minneapolis has been gripped by tension and protests for weeks following two fatal shootings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. On January 7, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot dead while sitting in her car during an ICE operation. Less than three weeks later, on January 24, ICE agents killed 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, alleging that he intended to harm them during a confrontation.

The deaths occurred amid a sweeping federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, where thousands of immigration agents were deployed following reports alleging fraud by Somali immigrants — claims repeatedly amplified by US President Donald Trump.

Other former US leaders have also weighed in. Barack and Michelle Obama said Pretti’s killing should be a “wake-up call” that fundamental American values are under threat. Bill Clinton said peaceful protesters had been “arrested, beaten, teargassed, and most searingly, in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot and killed”.

(With inputs from agencies)