After Minneapolis killings, Democrats push state limits on ICE

Jan. 28, 2026 — After the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, Democratic legislators around the country, aided by libertarian groups, are intensifying efforts to restrict and challenge federal immigration enforcement tactics at the state level.

Legislative proposals cited by The New York Times include a Colorado bill introduced in mid-January that would allow individuals to sue federal law enforcement officials for civil rights violations; a Delaware bill modeled on one filed in New York that would strip jet fuel tax exemptions from airlines that transport people detained by ICE without warrants and due process; and two California bills proposed after Mr.

Pretti’s killing — one to require independent state investigations of any ICE shooting and another to bar ICE from using state properties as staging areas. Those moves build on efforts that began last year, including state countermeasures such as bans on masked or unidentified officers.

Last month, a dozen legislators from seven states announced they would coordinate legislation in 2026 to complement litigation by Democratic attorneys general, and lawmakers and immigration rights groups said the two killings have added urgency. "The tide is now turning," Naureen Shah of the A.C.L.U.

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