An undated handout image of Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by U.S. immigration agents as they tried to detain him in Minneapolis, Minnesota, obtained by Reuters on Jan. 25, 2026.
U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs | Via Reuters
Major Minnesota business leaders on Sunday called for an “immediate deescalation of tensions” after federal immigration agents fatally shot U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies signed a letter urging “state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” The companies said that the recent tumult in Minnesota has caused “widespread disruption and tragic loss of life.”
Among the signatories to the letter released by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce are incoming Target CEO Michael Fiddelke; William Brown, the chairman and CEO of 3M; Brian Sikes, the chair and CEO of food giant Cargill; and Stephen Hemsley, the CEO of UnitedHealth.
“In this difficult moment for our community, we call for peace and focused cooperation among local, state and federal leaders to achieve a swift and durable solution that enables families, businesses, our employees, and communities across Minnesota to resume our work to build a bright and prosperous future,” the letter reads.
Other signatories include the Minnesota Vikings, Mayo Clinic, General Mills, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Hormel, Medtronic, U.S. Bancorp, and Xcel Energy.
The letter did not specifically name President Donald Trump or any other political leader involved with the situation in Minnesota. Executives across the country have been largely reluctant to comment publicly on political issues throughout Trump’s second term.
It does, however, say that “representatives of Minnesota’s business community have been working every day behind the scenes with federal, state and local officials to advance real solutions.”
“These efforts have included close communication with the Governor, the White House, the Vice President and local mayors. There are ways for us to come together to foster progress,” the letter reads.
Minnesota is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies, according to the state’s government. The state ranks fifth in Fortune 500 concentration per capita.
The letter comes one day after federal officers shot and killed Pretti, a 37-year old intensive care unit nurse in Minneapolis.
The Trump administration has surged federal law enforcement to the city to enforce its immigration crackdown and pursue allegations of widespread welfare fraud in the state.
Pretti’s killing is the latest incident in a tense standoff between Minnesota authorities and federal immigration officials that has prompted unrest in the region. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, earlier this month.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, has repeatedly called on the Trump administration to withdraw federal law enforcement from the state. The administration has resisted those calls and blamed the state’s Democratic leadership for not assisting its efforts.
“President Trump, you can end this today,” Walz said at a Sunday news conference. “Pull these folks back, do humane, focused, effective immigration control, you’ve got the support of all of us to do that.”
Meanwhile, Gregory Bovino, the commander of the Border Patrol operation in Minnesota, doubled down on the federal government’s actions.
“Our title eight immigration mission continues unabated here in Minneapolis despite yesterday’s tragedy that was preventable by folks making better choices, politicians, journalists and would-be anarchists and rioters,” Bovino said.
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