'It's Time to Pull Out': ICE Agents Admit 'Battle Is Lost' In Leaked Private Messages as Minneapolis Chaos Continues After Two Deadly Shootings
An ICE agent stated the 'brand new hires are idiots.'
Jan. 27 2026, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
Leaked messages from ICE agents have them admitting "it's time to pull out" of Minneapolis, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
After nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was fatally shot on January 24, some ICE agents apparently have had enough of the situation in Minneapolis.
What Did The Leaked Messages Say?
One ICE agent said a lot of the newly hired agents are 'pretty sketchy.'
According to journalist Ken Klippenstein's Substack, one ICE agent wrote, "This is a no-win situation for agents on the ground or immigration enforcement overall."
"I think it’s time to pull out of Minnesota; that battle is lost," they added.
Klippenstein also spoke to six ICE agents for his piece, one of whom claimed the "brand new agents are idiots." He specifically referred to lower hiring standards as being to blame for what has gone on in Minneapolis.
A newer agent concurred, admitting a lot of the people hired are "honestly pretty sketchy." They described the people as passing around a flask on stakeouts and having "weird tattoos" that would not normally be seen on those in law enforcement.
ICE Agents Are 'Freaking Out' and 'Paranoid'
ICE agents are reportedly 'afraid' of being 'targeted.'
They had more complaints, noting Washington has taken them away from doing immigration work and, instead, has them having confrontations with protestors on the streets.
According to the sources, threat briefings are now focused on plots involving retaliation against ICE and border patrol.
"Lots of people are freaking out," one officer shared.
He noted agents are "getting seriously paranoid, afraid of being targeted by "retaliators," and they talk as if they're fighting "insurgents."
They said this has resulted in Enforcement and Removal Operations teams "being squeezed heavily" to mitigate protests rather than search for immigration targets.
Lots of ICE Agents Are 'Exhausted'
An ICE agent revealed Enforcement and Removal Operations teams are 'being squeezed heavily' to mitigate protests rather than search for immigration targets.
All of this has left "lots of guys totally exhausted out there with a lot of pressure on them" to have to conduct investigations that are not related to immigration, one officer shared.
Another claimed the FBI is now "reluctant to participate" in any task force for Minneapolis.
Still, another agent talked about Pretti's death, noting the situation was "ten versus one, and somehow they couldn’t find a way to subdue the guy or use a less-than-lethal" way to squash the situation.
"They all carry belts and vests with 9,000 pieces of equipment on them, and the best they can do is shoot a guy in the back," he added.
A border patrol agent who was part of the private chat claimed "this individual was shot 8 to 9 times while unarmed," calling it a "knee-jerk damage control narrative that does not line up with the evidence on video."
"We can’t always support what happens just because it’s one of us," he elaborated.
Kristi Noem's New Role
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Kristi Noem was allegedly instructed to start focusing on securing the southern border as opposed to working on interior immigration enforcement operations at a meeting last night.
As Radar reported, in the wake of the situation in Minneapolis, "ICE Barbie" Kristi Noem was given a humiliating new role
A report detailed a late-night meeting with Noem was held with President Trump, and his Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles.
At the meeting, Noem was reportedly questioned about her response to Pretti being shot. She had previously referred to his behavior as an act of "domestic terror."
Noem was allegedly instructed to start focusing on securing the southern border as opposed to working on interior immigration enforcement operations as the meeting came to an end.
