Megyn Kelly Roasted for Flippant Take on ICE Killing US Citizen, Ignites Outrage

A single sarcastic tweet set off a storm of criticism for Megyn Kelly after another deadly encounter involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Conservative pundit Megyn Kelly faced widespread condemnation following her flippant remarks on the killing of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti in Minneapolis.

ICE officers shot Pretti on Saturday after pinning him to the ground. Pretti was legally carrying a firearm, and video evidence does not show him brandishing it at officers. In response to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz calling for ICE to leave the state, Kelly quipped sarcastically on X, '.@realDonaldTrump should pull ICE out of MN today & announce that there will be no more immigration enforcement in MN at all.'

The Shooting and Official Response

The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Pretti 'approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun' and labelled him as 'an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement'. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called for ICE to leave the state, stating, 'Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.'

Kelly's full tweet continued, 'All illegals in the US are encouraged to move there. And if any illegal is found outside of MN & gets deported, they can never apply for re-entry.'

Public Backlash Over Tone

Kelly's comments drew immediate criticism online, with users arguing that she trivialised a fatal shooting rather than engaging with the human cost of the incident. One commentator wrote, 'What a totally moronic take after ICE just executed a man in the street cartel style. Your brain is a split pea floating in a bowl of soup.'

Another added, 'This is the most childish Twitter brained argument: if you oppose the government shooting people on the street then you're for lawlessness and open borders. Why does Megyn Kelly oppose enforcement of murder laws?' The criticism highlights a growing public concern over ICE's actions, with many emphasising that the outrage stems from the death of a U.S. citizen, not general immigration enforcement.

Pattern of Controversial Remarks

Kelly has previously defended ICE in similarly controversial terms. Following the killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, she asserted that Good 'deserved to be shot in the face' for allegedly trying to run over the agent. Video footage of the incident, however, shows Good attempting to turn away from the officer as he approached her vehicle.

Her history of defending ICE has drawn criticism not only for tone but also for disregarding the impact of these violent encounters on local communities. Protests have continued in Minneapolis following these deaths, with demonstrators condemning ICE's use of force and detaining of children.

Political Implications

Kelly has also expressed concern about the potential political fallout from ICE-related controversies, suggesting that negative media coverage could harm President Donald Trump's standing. Speaking on her Sirius XM programme, she commented, 'I don't want to blame it all on what's happening with ICE, but it does look like what I call the disinformation that's being put out by the media around this ICE shooting may possibly be having an effect.'

This latest episode underscores the tension between public officials, media figures, and citizens over law enforcement accountability and immigration policy. Kelly's remarks serve as a stark example of how flippant commentary can ignite intense backlash when lives are at stake.