Combat Veteran Questions ICE's Deadly Minnesota Operations, Demands Accountability
The recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents in Minnesota demand clear scrutiny. As a former combat soldier, I recognize a mission in progress not by its announcement, but by its execution. Over a mere span of weeks, operations conducted by these federal agencies in Minneapolis have resulted in the tragic deaths of two Minnesotans. This stands in stark contrast to my own military experience: during over a year of intense combat in Iraq, my entire battalion of 500 soldiers did not take a single life.
A Stark Contrast in Lethal Force Protocols
That profound difference is critically important. My unit endured 397 grueling days on the battlefield. We faced direct gunfire, lived under constant threat from snipers concealed within crowds, and navigated roads littered with improvised explosive devices. Despite these extreme dangers, we adhered to strict Rules of Engagement. We were prohibited from returning fire unless several stringent conditions were met: the shooter had to be positively identified, civilians could not be in the line of fire, and lethal force was an absolute last resort.
Why such restraint? Because our mission was fundamentally different. We were tasked with building bases, securing supply routes, and, above all, protecting civilian life. Our conduct was governed by the Rules of Engagement, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the War Crimes Act. Violations were not overlooked; soldiers face criminal accountability for breaking the law. This very accountability is what distinguishes professional soldiers from mercenaries.
Local Policing Demonstrates Restraint is Possible
This standard of restraint is not unique to the military. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has publicly stated that in 2025, his department recovered approximately 900 guns from city streets and arrested hundreds of violent offenders—all without a single fatal shooting. Consider that fact carefully.
If the Minneapolis Police Department can engage in a full year of active, dangerous policing without a fatality, and a combat unit can survive over a year of war without killing anyone, then Minnesotans have every right to demand an explanation. Why have ICE and the Border Patrol been involved in two deaths within two weeks?
The Uncomfortable Conclusion: Mission or Lawlessness?
The answer is uncomfortable but unavoidable. One of two realities must be true: either causing death is part of their intended mission, or these agents are operating outside the bounds of legal accountability. Minnesota is now rightfully demanding a full, independent legal investigation into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. This includes examining serious allegations that lifesaving medical care was deliberately delayed or denied. Refusing such transparency and investigation is not mere partisan disagreement; it constitutes a fundamental constitutional failure.
When armed government agents operate beyond the reach of the law, they cease to be public servants. They become something else entirely. Mercenaries are defined not just by who pays them, but by what restrains them. They answer solely to orders, not to law, ethics, or public accountability. This is precisely why soldiers and ethical law enforcement officers cling fiercely to their codes of conduct. Without these codes, uniforms become disguises rather than safeguards of public trust.
A Veteran's Call for Constitutional Adherence
As a veteran, I refuse to accept mercenary-like behavior hiding behind federal badges on Minnesota soil. This is my home. Minnesota stands for the principles of liberty, justice, and due process—not for secrecy, immunity, or violence without consequence. Administrative staff changes do not equate to legal accountability. Official silence is not justice. As the saying goes, justice delayed is justice denied.
The people of Minnesota are demanding a comprehensive, independent investigation under state law into the agents involved in these deaths. No individual or agency—federal or otherwise—is above the law of this land. If ICE and the Border Patrol cannot operate within the framework of the U.S. Constitution, exercising restraint, transparency, and accountability, then they are not fit to carry out their duties in Minnesota, or anywhere else. When governmental force becomes untethered from the law, the freedom of every citizen is already in grave danger.
